From the future, with love
by valfreya81
Summary: James S.Potter, with his brother, sister and a few friends, decided to change the past, for his family and his friends. can they change the past?.-sorry can't do summary's,-NO BETA,-sorry if there are mistakes. NEW CHAPTERS COMING SOON.
1. Chapter 1

From the future, with love.

**Based on the work of J.K Rowling**

**I do not own any rights to the harry potter universe**

**No copyright infringment intended**

**This is purely for fun.**

**This is meant for entertainment and to help practise my writting skills**

**First fanfic.**

**Hope you enjoy**

**Chapter one**

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Lilly asked, she looked at her brother, "Of course I do, think what it will mean, Teddy will have his mum and dad. George can have Fred back. Lilly I am doing this" he gave he a stern look, he softened then gave her a hug "Lil's it will be fine I swear, all I am doing is giving the choice to change, besides we will get to meet our grandparents, don't you want to know the person you were named after? I know Al does." He though again bout what he was doing when he was at Hogwarts he had asked his aunt to tutor him, and she had taught him so much and every now and then she would tell him something about the second war. Professor Binns had began teaching all Hogwarts student about the second war, any time he had homework over the holidays about the war he would see the look on his fathers face as he remember his friends that had died and grandma Weasley would remember her lost son, Fred had been killed in the battle of Hogwarts. She would often go up the twins room at the borrow, and sit on the bed and cry quietly to herself. James had walked in on her one time they were visiting at Christmas. He swore there and then he would find away to make it better. He realised that Lilly was looking at him "Lil's you don't have to help if you don't want to, im sure we can do this without you?" he asked his sister, she turned on her brother with the famous Weasley stare Lilly had seen her mother use this on her father a number of times and as always her father caved and gave into what ever her mother wanted. James held back a small smile "OK sis calm down, lets get the rest of them together" he said and put his arm round he shoulder and pulled her towards the door. James and Lilly were met in the hall of Potter manner by their brother Albus, "Hey were ready to do this?" he asked as he stepped to his sisters side. "Yeah we are going to get Rose and Hugo" Lilly said. The three of them walked to the living room. They found the mother cleaning her broomstick, she had played at the weekend, and Ginny was captain of the holy head harpies the only all female Quidditch team thank to Ginny the team had managed to hold the world cup for the last three years. And Harry was sitting at his desk going through paper from the ministry being head of the auror department was hard work Harry always had more paperwork than time. Their mother head them enter the room and gave the three of them a strange look, she knew her children well and she knew something was going on "Where are you three going? "She asked looking up from her broomstick "mum where were going to meet Rose and Hugo, then we're going to the lake" Lilly informed her sweetly, Ginny nodded she didn't think Lilly was lying but she knew she wasn't being told the whole truth. "Ok but be back before Sundown" her children nodded. They walked into the garden

Moments later they were standing by the lake, Hugo and Rose appeared next to them

Hey we ready to do this?" Hugo asked he sounded like his father Rose shook her head "oh be quiet, we are still waiting for Scorpius, do you know where he is?" she asked the group " Right here " Scorpius said cheerfully, the tall blonde was carry a parcel with him. He walked right passed Rose to Lilly and kissed her softly Lilly turned a light shade of red she had never liked these displays of affection in front of her brothers, they always teased her but she enjoyed the fact that he didn't care who was there he wasn't afraid to show her that he loved her, this had been a big issue when James found out that his best friend was in love with his sister, they had been in their last year at school when Scorpius had asked to talk to James they were in the great hall "James look I need to talk to you and I don't want to do it here, in the grounds in five minutes " Scorpius asked, James nodded, they walk to the lake Scorpius was nervous the boys walked to the greenhouses "what's up mate?" James asked he had never seen his friend this way before "James I need to listen and not interrupt me ok" Scorpius asked James was confused but agreed "im not looking for your permission, but I am looking for your support. James I love Lilly, and I want to be with her I know she is your sister and this is not the kind of thing you want to hear but she is the sun in my sky, I know that when I am with her I can achieve anything and I can be a better man, I love her James and she loves me, we have talked about us being together and when we leave school and are a bit older I want to marry her. I promise that I will provide for her and look after her, and I swear to you I will love her with every ounce of my being" Scorpius stopped talking and looked at the ground waiting for his friend to speak, James paced up and down a few times before talking "Look mate she is my sister and you're my best mate if this goes wrong and you hurt her I swear I will kill you. You better treat her right and show her some respect got it?" James said part of him was furious and part of him was relieved how dare he fall in love with his sister, how could he do such a thing to him, but at the same time if James could have chose anyone for Lilly it would have been Scorpius he could think of a better man for his sister. The very next day at breakfast, Scorpius was waiting for Lilly outside the great hall James watched from his seat at the Gryffindor table as Scorpius embraced Lilly and kissed her lightly on the lip. James was secretly pleased but also disgusted by this act of affection, When Al had seen it for him self his burst out laughing. "eww Lil's how can you let that horrid Slythern kiss you, don't you want to throw up" he called out for the whole common room to hear, soon after James got on board and teased them mercilessly.

James smiled to himself, Lilly turned on her brother "What are you smiling at?" she spat at her brother every time lily was angry her hair seemed to shine a brilliant red, and eyes blazed, James shook his head "lets get this show on the road then" he said and began making his way into the woods, they had decided they would use the old cottage near the lake on the edge of the potter estate James great-grand parents had built it for his grandfather and the marauders to use during the holidays, it was a cosy little place with two bedroom , a spacious living room and a tiny kitchen and a small a bathroom. The place hadn't been used in forever When James had found it but he had fixed it up with beds and furniture for him and Scorpius to use as a hide out when they were younger. But now it was going to be used for something very different.

They opened the door to the little living room and set to work James set about magically expanding the room so allow more people to fit in, Hugo Set to work in the kitchen making sure there was enough food in fro the huge number of people that the had intended to visit and enough space for a large dining table. Al and Rose began casting some very complicated magic to allow the cottage to exist outside normal time and space. After a few hours of work they had finished the preparations they had several spells prepared for the following day. And the parcel Scorpius had brought with him was now locked inside a magically seal box. And beside the box James place a ring.

The small group headed home for sundown Hugo, Rose and Scorpius tagged along too. When they entered the house they found Ginny in the kitchen making dinner and Harry talking to Ron in the floo "they just got back, why don't you and Hermione join us for dinner? "harry asked after receiving an answer he pulled his head out of the fireplace a second later Ron and Hermione appeared in the kitchen. Hermione gave Ginny a quick hug, then helped finish off dinner Harry and Ron greeted each other quickly before turning on the children "Alright kids, what you been doing?" Ron asked taking a seat at the large dinning table "Err nothing we went to the lake" said Rose, she couldn't lie to her dad but he wasn't paying an attention. The children looked at each other an unspoken message passed between them. They all knew that was a close one. They children went off to wash the hand before eating dinner. Finally after a long night of conversation with their aunt and uncle, James, Lilly and Al went off to bed, promising that tomorrow they would meet at the lake early to put their plan into action.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two.

The next morning James went and woke up Lilly and Al, his mother and father were still sleeping, after they got ready they went to the kitchen to find Jasmine there, she was the latest house elf that had joined the potter household, Jasmine bowed deeply when she noticed the children enter the room "What can Jasmine get her little masters and mistress for breakfast" she squeaked out. Lilly smiled at Jasmine "you had better not let dad know you bowed, he will be upset, remember what he said" Lilly asked kindly "Oh yes little miss, Master said house elf aren't to be bowing to the family, house elf are better than that" she said a look pain in her face. Harry had told all the house elves in his employment that they weren't allowed to bow to him or his family, and there were not allowed to punish them selves, Harry had also made every house elf take a wage, he wanted to give them 2 galleons a week and give them one day off each week as well. The house elves tried to negotiate the wage from two galleons a week to ten sickles eventually they had agreed on one galleon and one day off a fortnight. "Can Jasmine get the young potters breakfast?" she squeaked out they nodded the sun was coming up as they finished breakfast they asked jasmine to tell their parents they had gone out to meet Rose and Hugo.

They met Rose, Hugo and Scorpius at the lake and made their way to the cottage, they checked their spells, and made a few final checks. James lifted the ring that Scorpius had brought yesterday "Scorpius, are you sure this will work?" James asked eyeing the object carefully "Yes, you can call anyone you want, just put it on and say the name of the person you want to come back, they will come back as flesh and blood, it took a while to get the enchantments right, but it works." He said confidently. James nodded the hesitated for a second and put the ring on. "I want my great grand mother potter, Amelia "he said in a loud and slow voice. Right before his eyes a small woman appeared she look no more than 30 years old, she had light brown hair that hung round her shoulders, and warm brown eyes, she was taller than James by a few inches "what… how… who are you? " she asked in her soft light voice " Im James potter, I am your great grand son." James said proudly he turned to his sister "This is Lilly my sister and my brother Albus" he said, she eyed him for a second clearly not believing what she was hearing "how did I get here. I'm dead; I died years ago during the war against he who must not be named. Why have you brought me here" she asked looking like she was ready for darting to the door. Lilly stepped in front of her brother and look at the woman "Gran, please let me explain" she whispered sweetly she was nervous and Scorpius knew it. He stepped to her side and took her hand and gave it a little squeeze, Lilly seemed to gain strength from this, however before she could say anything Amelia Spoke "and who are you, you look like a Malfoy to me" she said her tone was sharp, and the dislike of the name Malfoy was clear , Scorpius was used to this kind of attitude so he just nodded his head " I am Scorpius, and I am Lilly's boyfriend, of course one day I hope to be her husband" Scorpius said in a respectful tone, he didn't want to upset anyone in the potter family since he had hoped to part of it one day. She looked at the tall blonde for a minute before casting her eye over her great grandchildren. She could see a little of her father in the boys and her mother in the girl. Maybe they are telling the truth it was then she noticed the other boy and girl in the room "and who are you two, more grand children of mine "she asked Rose went red and Hugo look away. She waited for a second "well aren't you going to tell me your names" she asked this time her tone was a little more gentle "Im Rose Weasley and this is my brother Hugo, We are friends of James, Lilly and Albus." Rose spoke in the respectful tone her mother had told her to use with older people. Amelia just nodded.

Amelia wandered round the cottage for a minute or two she sat in a chair and the group followed suit "So why did you summon me and how did you do it?" she asked she was still unsure that this wasn't a trick by the dark lord. James held up his hand "We used this, it called a resurrection stone, but Scorpius used a few spells on it so I could call a blood relative. I need to ask a favour of you" he said he knew that when this part of the plan came up he would have to deal with a lot of warnings from her she wasn't going to like what he wanted do, she was going to try and talk him out of it. Amelia sat there and stared at the young man who claimed to be her descendant. Although she was very curious about what a dead woman could do for this young man that no living person could. She indicated for him to continue "Well you are not going to like what I am going to ask you to do, and you probably won't like my idea at all, because it could be dangerous. But I would like you to read some books to people that we are going to bring here from our past" James finished feeling better than he though he would know he had said it out loud to another person. Amelia looked shocked she took a few gulps of air before she could bring herself to talk "you want to change your future, than is dangerous my boy, why would you want to do such a thing?" she asked trying to keep her temper under control. So they set about telling her about Harry's life and the second war against voldemort and the part their parent played in it. And all the people that were lost. By the time they had finished Amelia was convinced that these were indeed her great grandchildren because she knew that if she had the chance she would do something like this for her family and friends. While they had been talking, Lilly had made lunch. She was now clearing up after them "Alright my dear boy if I agree to help you, you have to promise me that you will take any consequences that may occur because of this "she sounded like his father when she said this he smiled she looked at him "you sound like my father, of course I will I know this will be risky and I am prepared to face the repercussions of this" he vowed "Very well I will help you, only a potter child would try and pull this off, I will of course guide you if I can. We potters always do right by our family" she said the last part with a mischievous smile.

So they checked the spells again and Grandma Amelia made a few changes to counteract the issue with the timelines, they wanted to pull people from two different timeframes but put everyone from the past, and the present into one place. Finally when grandma Amelia gave her blessing they were ready to begin, Rose, Hugo, Scorpius, James, Lilly, and Albus stood in a circle and cast the spells the would need to bring all the people forward from the past, by combining their magic like this they were able to pull everyone forward and shift the cottage to a safe place outside the realm of space and time. Grandma Amelia was very proud of her grandchildren and their friends. They dared to attempt something she could never do. The room shivered with magic, it created a haze that expanded further than could be seen. The six had reached their limit they knew the spell was done.

When the magic cleared they found themselves facing a room full of confused people.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter three.

Every voice in the room started at once, all asking the same question what had happened. James tried to call above all the voice but no one could hear him. Grandma Amelia held her wand to her neck and said "Quiet down everyone" the whole room when quiet and turned to the woman. Amelia nodded to James he took a careful step forward "Take a seat everyone and I will explain what is happening" he said clearly. There was a scuff of chairs and a few mummers. He turned to each face and smiled he saw professor Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape, then he turned to his rather larger family Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny Fred, George, Bill, Charlie, Percy Grandma Weasley, grandpa Weasley. Then he saw Sirius, Remus, Grandpa James, and Grandma Lilly, then Tonks, Draco Malfoy, Luna Lovegood, Neville longbottom. Each face had an expectant look. He cleared his throat "well it good to see you all, and now you will all want to know why you are here first, I think I should tell you how we are, I'm James, this is my sister Lilly and my brother Albus, these are my friends Rose, Hugo and Scorpius and this is my Great Grand mother Amelia" he stopped to take a breath Grandpa James look at his mother "What are you doing here?" he asked rather rudely, Amelia looked at her son "James potter don't you dare use that tone with me young man" she said sternly Sirius laughed Amelia turned her stare to him "Sirius Black, don't you dare start or I will deal with you too" she said in the same tone Sirius put his head down "sorry Mrs P" he said embarrassed. She nodded "now boys I want you on your best behaviour, now don't interrupt my great grandson…. Carry on dear" she said.

James suddenly realised that there were three people missing he turned to Rose "where are the dursleys?" he asked in a whisper Rose swore under her breathe "hang on I will summon them" she said in a rush then darted from the room. She reappeared a few minutes later she had three more people in tow James knew this was Petunia, Vernon and Dudley. Rose directed them to seats and they sat looking extremely uncomfortable. Rose went to sit next to Albus and Hugo; James looked at the dursleys, but never spoke to them. He looked at Scorpius panicking. He had lost all track of what he wanted to say, Scorpius nodded towards the parcel on the table. "O right, so you want to know why you are here? So you should all know each other and if you don't you will at some point, anyway the reason you are here is because I have information I want you to know, and each of you has a part to play, I can answer some question but not all. Amelia is going to read you some book about D… Harry's future so it can be changed if you want to, decided after you have heard the books" James stopped. He looked round the room again and met several confused faces. He knew this was going to be difficult but boy was this hard. Grandma Weasley was eyeing him he knew the look well she had given it to him many times when he was younger, it was the ' your not telling me everything look' she quickly looked away he saw professor Dumbledore looking at him a twinkle in his bright blue eyes.

Amelia cleared her throat behind him "perhaps I should start reading dear" she encouraged gently James nodded and took a seat next to Rose. Grandma Amelia picked up the first book and read the title

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

There were several mummers in the room, Harry look completely confused.

"The book appears to be from Harry's point of view, this should be enlightening" Amelia said giving her grandson a warm smile, harry didn't really know who this woman was but he decided that he would wait before he asked one of the man questions that had came to him since he had arrived here. But he couldn't take his eyes of his mother and father he had wanted to go to them to hug them but they didn't appear to know who he was. He felt hurt by the fact that they had ignored him. He didn't even acknowledge his aunt and uncle's presence in the room he wanted to be stay as far away from them as possible, even more so now he knew this book was from his perspective.

Amelia continued

THE BOY WHO LIVED

**Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say**

**That, they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn't hold with such nonsense****.**

**Mr. Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings, which made**

**drills. He was a big, beefy man with hardly any neck, although he did**

**have a very large mustache. Mrs. Dursley was thin and blonde and had nearly twice the usual amount of neck, which came in very useful as she spent so much of her time craning over garden fences, spying on the neighbours. The Dursleys had a small son called Dudley and in their opinion there was no finer boy anywhere.**

**The Dursleys had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret, and their greatest fear was that somebody would discover it. They didn't think they could bear it if anyone found out about the Potters. Mrs. Potter was Mrs. Dursley's sister, but they hadn't met for several years; in fact, Mrs. Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister, because her sister and her good-for-nothing husband were as unDursleyish as it was possible to be. The Dursleys shuddered to think what the neighbours would say if the Potters arrived in the street. The Dursleys knew that the Potters had a small son, too, but they had never even seen him. This boy was another good reason for keeping the Potters away; they didn't want Dudley mixing with a child like that."**

The dursleys were faced with disgusted stares, Lilly Evans looked at Harry and realised that he must be her son from the future, she moved a little up the couch she shared with James, Sirius and Remus, and called him over, Harry got up and walked to his mothers side " Harry, come and sit with me" she said sweetly. Harry almost ran to her side he had wanted this for the last ten years, now it was happening he was meeting his mother and his father, his father looked at the boy that was his son, and felt a warmth in his heart, he knew that he and Lilly would have a future together she was going to marry him, he relaxed a little, but the ring in his pocket seemed to weight a ton now, and it felt like it was on fire

"**When Mr. and Mrs. Dursley woke up on the dull, gray Tuesday our story starts, there was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest that strange and mysterious things would soon be happening all over the country. Mr. Dursley hummed as he picked out his most boring tie for work, and Mrs. Dursley gossiped away happily as she wrestled a screaming Dudley into his high chair.**

**None of them noticed a large, tawny owl flutter past the window.**

**At half past eight, Mr. Dursley picked up his briefcase, pecked Mrs. Dursley on the cheek, and tried to kiss Dudley good-bye but missed****, ****because Dudley was now having a tantrum and throwing his cereal at the walls. "Little tyke," chortled Mr. Dursley as he left the house. He got into his car and backed out of number four's drive****.**

**It was on the corner of the street that he noticed the first sign of**

**Something peculiar - a cat reading a map. For a second, Mr. Dursley didn't realize what he had seen - then he jerked his head around to look again. There was a tabby cat standing on the corner of Privet Drive, but there wasn't a map in sight. What could he have been thinking of? It must have been a trick of the light. Mr. Dursley blinked and stared at the cat. It stared back. As Mr. Dursley drove around the corner and up the road, he watched the cat in his mirror. It was now reading the sign that said Privet Drive - no, looking at the sign; cats couldn't read maps or signs. Mr. Dursley gave himself a little shake and put the cat out of his mind. As he drove toward town he thought of nothing except a large order of drills he was hoping to get that day."**

Vernon Dursley answered the furious stares "why we are here this is about the boy, Boy what have you dragged us into this time I swear…" Vernon trailed off, he didn't want to make the threat that he had in mind in a room full of weirdo's, and he didn't like they way the room kept staring at him and his family. Molly Weasley's face was bright red with anger, but she held back the words she wanted to say, it wasn't her place Harry's mother was in the room and it was her place. But she knew that for the last ten years Harry had lived with the muggles, she had offered to look after Harry shortly after the potter had died, but Albus had said that the safest place for Harry was with his family.

Amelia seemed to see that everyone wanted to talk "I will give you time to talk at the end of the chapter, but for now I would like to get through each chapter in one go" she informed them that seemed to quieten the room down.

**But on the edge of town, drills were driven out of his mind by something else. As he sat in the usual morning traffic jam, he couldn't help noticing that there seemed to be a lot of strangely dressed people about. People in cloaks. Mr. Dursley couldn't bear people who dressed in funny clothes - the getups you saw on young people! He supposed this was some stupid new fashion. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and his eyes fell on a huddle of these weirdoes's standing quite close by. They were whispering excitedly together. Mr. Dursley was enraged to see that a couple of them weren't young at all; why, that man had to be older than he was, and wearing an emerald-green cloak! The nerve of him! But then it struck Mr. Dursley that this was probably some silly stunt - these people were obviously collecting for something...yes, that would be it. The traffic moved on and a few minutes later, Mr. Dursley arrived in the Grunnings parking lot, his mind back on drills.**

**Mr. Dursley always sat with his back to the window in his office on the ninth floor. If he hadn't, he might have found it harder to concentrate on drills that morning. He didn't see the owls swooping past in broad daylight, though people down in the street did; they pointed and gazed open- mouthed as owl after owl sped overhead. Most of them had never seen an owl even at night time. Mr. Dursley, however, had a perfectly normal, owl-free morning. He yelled at five different people. He made several important telephone calls and shouted a bit more. He was in a very good mood until lunchtime, when he thought he'd stretch his legs and walk across the road to buy himself a bun from the bakery.**

**He'd forgotten all about the people in cloaks until he passed a group of them next to the baker's. He eyed them angrily as he passed. He didn't know why, but they made him uneasy. This bunch were whispering excitedly, too, and he couldn't see a single collecting tin. It was on his way back past them, clutching a large doughnut in a bag, that he caught a few words of what they were saying.**

**"The Potters, that's right, that's what I heard yes, their son, Harry"**

**Mr. Dursley stopped dead. Fear flooded him. He looked back at the whisperers as if he wanted to say something to them, but thought better of it.**

**He dashed back across the road, hurried up to his office, snapped at his secretary not to disturb him, seized his telephone, and had almost finished dialling his home number when he changed his mind. He put the receiver back down and stroked his mustache, thinking... no, he was being stupid. Potter wasn't such an unusual name. He was sure there were lots of people called Potter who had a son called Harry. Come to think of it, he wasn't even sure his nephew was called Harry. He'd never even seen the boy. It might have been Harvey. Or Harold. There was no point in worrying Mrs. Dursley; she always got so upset at any mention of her sister. He didn't blame her - if he'd had a sister like that... but all the same, those people in cloaks...**

There were a few growls in the room and the intensity of the stares that the dursleys were getting, Molly shouted "HOW COULD YOU NOT KNOW HIS NAME… YOU… YOU…" She couldn't find the words to show her anger and disgust at them, Arthur pulled molly into his arms to hold her in place while soothing her. Amelia her self was furious that one of her family was being treated this way, she wanted to curse the dursleys, Scorpius put his hand on James's arm and held Lilly tighter to him. The children of the trio had heard very little about Harry's life before the wizarding world. They knew of course that he had been treated badly by the muggles (he couldn't even think the name). Amelia seemed to know that the James and his siblings were angry but they seemed to be holding to her request unlike the older generation. She continued

**He found it a lot harder to concentrate on drills that afternoon and when he left the building at five o'clock, he was still so worried that he walked straight into someone just outside the door.**

**"Sorry," he grunted, as the tiny old man stumbled and almost fell. It was a few seconds before Mr. Dursley realized that the man was wearing a violet cloak. He didn't seem at all upset at being almost knocked to the ground. On the contrary, his face split into a wide smile and he said in a squeaky voice that made passersby stare,** **"Don't be sorry, my dear sir, for nothing could upset me today! Rejoice, for You-Know-Who has gone at last! Even Muggles like yourself should be celebrating, this happy, happy day!".**

**And the old man hugged Mr. Dursley around the middle and walked off.**

Vernon whispered under his breath "bloody weirdo's" he had hoped that no one would hear him, he had know when that man had hugged him that there was something very strange about him, but it wasn't until later, after the boy had been left on the doorstep that it must have been some of his lot. He was still wondering why he and petunia and Dudley had been brought here. He could make no sense of it. He didn't like being stuck in a room full of witches and wizards. James Jnr. was gripping his wand, but he got a look from Rose that told him to leave it alone.

**Mr. Dursley stood rooted to the spot. He had been hugged by a complete stranger. He also thought he had been called a Muggle, whatever that was. He was rattled. He hurried to his car and set off for home, hoping he was imagining things, which he had never hoped before, because he didn't approve of imagination.**

**As he pulled into the driveway of number four, the first thing he saw -and it didn't improve his mood - was the tabby cat he'd spotted that morning. It was now sitting on his garden wall. He was sure it was the same one; it had the same markings around its eyes.**

**"Shoo!" said Mr. Dursley loudly. The cat didn't move. It just gave him a stern look. Was this normal cat behaviour? Mr. Dursley wondered. Trying to pull himself together, he let himself into the house. He was still determined not to mention anything to his wife.**

**Mrs. Dursley had had a nice, normal day. She told him over dinner all about Mrs. Next Door's problems with her daughter and how Dudley had learned a new word ("Shan't!"). Mr. Dursley tried to act normally. When Dudley had been put to bed, he went into the living room in time to catch the last report on the evening news:**

**"And finally, bird-watchers everywhere have reported that the nation's owls have been behaving very unusually today. Although owls normally hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, there have been hundreds of sightings of these birds flying in every direction since sunrise. Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly changed their sleeping pattern." The newscaster allowed himself a grin. "Most mysterious. And now, over to Jim McGuffin with the weather. Going to be any more showers of owls tonight, Jim?"**

**"Well, Ted," said the weatherman, "I don't know about that, but it's not only the owls that have been acting oddly today. Viewers as far apart as Kent, Yorkshire, and Dundee have been phoning in to tell me that instead of the rain I promised yesterday, they've had a downpour of shooting stars! Perhaps people have been celebrating Bonfire Night early - it's not until next week, folks! But I can promise a wet night tonight."**

"Dedalus Diggle no doubt" professor McGonagall muttered to Dumbledore.

Dumbledore simply nodded his head, Snape Just looked bored. He had been glancing over in Lilly Evans direction since they had arrived. He was shocked to see her again. She had died ten years ago from his perspective, he saw the way she was holding the boy close to her, and envy ran through him, he had loved her dearly but he had made the biggest mistake of his life, letting her go like he did. He secretly wished that she was holding their child, not potters.

**Mr. Dursley sat frozen in his armchair. Shooting stars all over Britain? Owls flying by daylight? Mysterious people in cloaks all over the place? And a whisper, a whisper about the Potters...**

**Mrs. Dursley came into the living room carrying two cups of tea. It was no good. He'd have to say something to her. He cleared his throat nervously. "Err - Petunia, dear - you haven't heard from your sister lately, have you?"**

**As he had expected, Mrs. Dursley looked shocked and angry. After all, they normally pretended she didn't have a sister.**

**"No," she said sharply. "Why?"**

**"Funny stuff on the news," Mr. Dursley mumbled. "Owls... shooting stars... and there were a lot of funny-looking people in town today..."**

**"So?" snapped Mrs. Dursley.**

**"Well, I just thought... maybe... it was something to do with... you**

**know... her crowd**."

"HER CROWD" shouted James sr. "what the hell is that meant to mean" James sr. was painfully aware that his mother was in the room but he didn't care, no one insulted Lilly like that, Amelia look at her son, she approved of his tone and defending this girl

"Why is it so hard to get an answer out of you?". McGonagall asked him sounding exasperated, she had been used to this for years but of course she wished he would just tell her what she wanted to know without all the fuss

**Mrs. Dursley sipped her tea through pursed lips. Mr. Dursley wondered whether he dared tell her he'd heard the name "Potter." He decided he didn't dare. Instead he said, as casually as he could, "Their son -he'd be about Dudley's age now, wouldn't he?"**

**"I suppose so," said Mrs. Dursley stiffly.**

**"What's his name again? Howard, isn't it?"**

**"Harry. Nasty, common name, if you ask me."**

**"Oh, yes," said Mr. Dursley, his heart sinking horribly. "Yes, I quite agree."**

**He didn't say another word on the subject as they went upstairs to bed. While Mrs. Dursley was in the bathroom, Mr. Dursley crept to the bedroom window and peered down into the front garden. The cat was still there. It was staring down Privet Drive as though it were waiting for something. Was he imagining things? Could all this have anything to do with the Potters? If it did... if it got out that they were related to a pair of well, he didn't think he could bear it.**

**The Dursleys got into bed. Mrs. Dursley fell asleep quickly but Mr.**

**Dursley lay awake, turning it all over in his mind. His last, comforting thought before he fell asleep was that even if the Potters were involved, there was no reason for them to come near him and Mrs. Dursley. The Potters knew very well what he and Petunia thought about them and their kind... He couldn't see how he and Petunia could get mixed up in anything that might be going on - he yawned and turned over- it couldn't affect them...**

**How very wrong he was**

**Mr. Dursley might have been drifting into an uneasy sleep, but the cat on the wall outside was showing no sign of sleepiness. It was sitting as still as a statue, its eyes fixed unblinkingly on the far corner of Privet Drive. It didn't so much as quiver when a car door slammed on the next street, nor when two owls swooped overhead. In fact, it was nearly midnight before the cat moved at all.**

**A man appeared on the corner the cat had been watching, appeared so suddenly and silently you'd have thought he'd just popped out of the ground. The cat's tail twitched and its eyes narrowed**.

**Nothing like this man had ever been seen on Privet Drive. He was tall, thin, and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt. He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak that swept the ground, and high-heeled, buckled boots. His blue eyes were light, bright, and sparkling behind half-moon spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it had been broken at least twice. This man's name was Albus Dumbledore. where everything from his name to his boots was unwelcome. He was busy rummaging in his cloak, looking for something. But he did seem to realize he was being watched, because he looked up suddenly at the cat,**

**which was still staring at him from the other end of the street. For some reason, the sight of the cat seemed to amuse him. He chuckled and muttered, "I should have known." He found what he was looking for in his inside pocket. It seemed to be a silver cigarette lighter. He flicked it open, held it up in the air, and**

**clicked it. The nearest street lamp went out with a little pop. He**

**clicked it again - the next lamp flickered into darkness. Twelve times he clicked the Put-Outer, until the only lights left on the whole street were two tiny pinpricks in the distance, which were the eyes of the cat watching him. If anyone looked out of their window now, even beady-eyed Mrs. Dursley, they wouldn't be able to see anything that was happening down on the pavement. Dumbledore slipped the Put-Outer back inside his cloak and set off down the street toward number four, where he sat down on the wall next to the cat. He didn't look at it, but after a moment he spoke to it.**

**"Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall."**

**He turned to smile at the tabby, but it had gone. Instead he was smiling at a rather severe-looking woman who was wearing square glasses exactly the shape of the markings the cat had had around its eyes. She, too, was wearing a cloak, an emerald one. Her black hair was drawn into a tight bun. She looked distinctly ruffled.**

**"How did you know it was me?" she asked.**

**"My dear Professor, I 've never seen a cat sit so stiffly."**

**"You'd be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day," said**

**Professor McGonagall.**

**"All day? When you could have been celebrating? I must have passed a dozen feasts and parties on my way here."**

**Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily.**

**"Oh yes, everyone's celebrating, all right," she said impatiently.**

**"You'd think they'd be a bit more careful, but no - even the Muggles have noticed something's going on. It was on their news." She jerked her head back at the Dursleys' dark living-room window. "I heard it. Flocks of owls... shooting stars... Well, they're not completely stupid. They were bound to notice something. Shooting stars down in Kent - I'll bet that was Dedalus Diggle. He never had much sense."**

**"You can't blame them," said Dumbledore gently. "We've had precious little to celebrate for eleven years."**

**"I know that," said Professor McGonagall irritably. "But that's no**

**reason to lose our heads. People are being downright careless, out on the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed in Muggle clothes, swapping rumours."**

**She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbledore here, as though hoping he was going to tell her something, but he didn't, so she went on. **

**"A fine thing it would be if, on the very day You-Know-Who seems to have disappeared at last, the Muggles found out about us all. I suppose he really has gone, Dumbledore?"**

**"It certainly seems so," said Dumbledore. "We have much to be thankful for. Would you care for a lemon drop?"**

**"A what?"**

**"A lemon drop. They're a kind of Muggle sweet I'm rather fond of"**

**"No, thank you," said Professor McGonagall coldly, as though she didn't think this was the moment for lemon drops. "As I say, even if You-Know-Who has gone -"**

**"My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like yourself can call him by his name? All this 'You- Know-Who' nonsense - for eleven years I have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name: Voldemort." Professor McGonagall flinched, but Dumbledore, who was un-sticking two lemon drops, seemed not to notice. "It all gets so confusing if we keep saying 'You-Know-Who.' I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort's name.**

**"I know you haven 't, said Professor McGonagall, sounding half**

**exasperated, half admiring. "But you're different. Everyone knows you're the only one You-Know- oh, all right, Voldemort, was frightened of."**

**"You flatter me," said Dumbledore calmly. "Voldemort had powers I will never have."**

**"Only because you're too - well - noble to use them."**

**"It's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs."**

**Professor McGonagall shot a sharp look at Dumbledore and said, "The owls are nothing next to the rumours that are flying around. You know what everyone's saying? About why he's disappeared? About what finally stopped him?"**

**It seemed that Professor McGonagall had reached the point she was most anxious to discuss, the real reason she had been waiting on a cold, hard wall all day, for neither as a cat nor as a woman had she fixed Dumbledore with such a piercing stare as she did now. It was plain that whatever "everyone" was saying, she was not going to believe it until Dumbledore told her it was true. Dumbledore, however, was choosing another lemon drop and did not answer.**

**"What they're saying," she pressed on, "is that last night Voldemort turned up in Godric's Hollow. He went to find the Potters. The rumour is that Lily and James Potter are - are - that they're - dead. "Dumbledore bowed his head. Professor McGonagall gasped.**

**"Lily and James... I can't believe it... I didn't want to believe it...**

**Oh, Albus..."**

At this everyone in the room looked over to the couple, Lilly and James looked down, this news was the last thing they wanted to hear, at least they knew there son was safe, Harry clung tighter to his mother, he had tears in his eyes, and his father pulled his mother and him closer to him trying to sooth them.

Lilly had a feeling that they would learn lot about how much Petunia hated the wizarding world. Ever since they were kids, she and Snape had found that letter from Dumbledore. She gave her sister a sour look.

Amelia read the last few lines, and felt stinging in her eyes, her son and daughter in law would die and her grandson would be left with these horrid muggles

**Dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder. "I know... I know..." he said heavily.**

**Professor McGonagall's voice trembled as she went on. "That's not all. They're saying he tried to kill the Potter's son, Harry. But – he couldn't. He couldn't kill that little boy. No one knows why, or how, but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Harry Potter, Voldemort's power somehow broke - and that's why he's gone.**

**Dumbledore nodded glumly.**

All eyes where now on Harry. He hid his head into his mother. James senior. nodded to him mother to continue.

**"It's - it's true?" faltered Professor McGonagall. "After all he's**

**done... all the people he's killed... he couldn't kill a little boy?**

**It's just astounding... of all the things to stop him... but how in the name of heaven did Harry survive?"**

Sirius got up for the sofa he was sitting on, and made his was round the room, to comfort Minerva. Who had been looking at her old students, holding their son, tears slowly falling from her eye's. She accepted this comfort.

**"We can only guess," said Dumbledore. "We may never know."**

**Professor McGonagall pulled out a lace handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes beneath her spectacles. Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took a golden watch from his pocket and examined it. It was a very odd watch. It had twelve hands but no numbers; instead, little planets were moving around the edge. It must have made sense to Dumbledore, though, because he put it back in his pocket and said, "Hagrid's late. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here, by the way?"**

**"Yes," said Professor McGonagall. "And I don't suppose you're going to tell me why you're here, of all places?"**

**"I've come to bring Harry to his aunt and uncle. They're the only family he has left now."**

**"You don't mean - you can't mean the people who live here?" cried Professor McGonagall, jumping to her feet and pointing at number four.**

**"Dumbledore - you can't. I've been watching them all day. You couldn't find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son - I saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets. Harry Potter come and live here!"**

**"It's the best place for him," said Dumbledore firmly. "His aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything to him when he's older. I've written them a letter."**

**"A letter?" repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. "Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter? These people will never understand him! He'll be famous – a legend - I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter day in the future - there will be books written about Harry - every child in our world will know his name!"**

**"Exactly," said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half-moon glasses. "It would be enough to turn any boy's head. Famous before he can walk and talk! Famous for something he won't even remember! Can't you see how much better off he'll be, growing up away from all that until he's ready to take it?**

**Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, changed her mind, swallowed, and then said, "Yes - yes, you're right, of course. But how is the boy getting here, Dumbledore?" She eyed his cloak suddenly as though she thought he might be hiding Harry underneath it.**

"I was going to tell you that you had no idea how much of a bad idea it was leaving harry with those muggles, harry deserves far better than they can provide, maybe we could look into alternatives now" Minerva Said smugly to Albus Dumbledore, Albus looked at the boy who lived, he was sure it would be safer at his aunt and uncles, but he had seen the results of the treatment he had received , the small scrawny, black haired, green eyed boy, was miserable, and completely in the dark about his life, his family and the part they played in bringing Voldermort down.

**"Hagrid's bringing him."**

**"You think it - wise - to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?"**

"**I would trust Hagrid with my life," said Dumbledore**.

**"I'm not saying his heart isn't in the right place," said Professor**

**McGonagall grudgingly, "but you can't pretend he's not careless. He does tend to - what was that?"**

**A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. It grew steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of a headlight; it swelled to a roar as they both looked up at the sky – and a huge motorcycle fell out of the air and landed on the road in front of them.**

**If the motorcycle was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride it. He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide. He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so wild – long tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face, he had hands the size of trash can lids, and his feet in their leather boots were like baby dolphins. In his vast, muscular arms he was holding a bundle of blankets.**

**"Hagrid," said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. "At last. And where did you get that motorcycle?"**

**"Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sit," said the giant, climbing**

**carefully off the motorcycle as he spoke. "Young Sirius Black lent it to me. I've got him, sir."**

Sirius was distraught over the death of his best friend and his girlfriend, well soon to be wife. He couldn't bare the atmosphere that had filled the room. He decided to cheer everyone up but had no idea what to do, he wanted them off the topic of Prong's death. Clearly it was going to take a lot to cheer this crowd up. He would have to work pretty hard on it. If this was the start of the story, it looked like it was going to get worse before it got better.

**"No problems, were there?"**

**"No, sir - house was almost destroyed, but I got him out all right**

**before the Muggles started swarming' around. He fell asleep as we was flyin' over Bristol."**

**Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, just visible, was a baby boy, fast asleep. Under a tuft of jet-black hair over his forehead they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning **

**"Is that where -?" whispered Professor McGonagall.**

**"Yes," said Dumbledore. "He'll have that scar forever."**

**"Couldn't you do something about it, Dumbledore?"**

**"Even if I could, I wouldn't. Scars can come in handy. I have one myself above my left knee that is a perfect map of the London Underground. Well- give him here, Hagrid - we'd better get this over with." Dumbledore took Harry in his arms and turned toward the Dursleys' house.**

**"Could I - could I say good-bye to him, sir?" asked Hagrid. He bent his great, shaggy head over Harry and gave him what must have been a very scratchy, whiskery kiss. Then, suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog**

**"Shhh!" hissed Professor McGonagall, "you'll wake the Muggles!"**

**"S-s-sorry," sobbed Hagrid, taking out a large, spotted handkerchief and burying his face in it. "But I c-c-can't stand it - Lily an' James dead- an' poor little Harry off ter live with Muggles -"**

**"Yes, yes, it's all very sad, but get a grip on yourself, Hagrid, or**

**we'll be found," Professor McGonagall whispered, patting Hagrid gingerly on the arm as Dumbledore stepped over the low garden wall and walked to the front door. He laid Harry gently on the doorstep, took a letter out of his cloak, tucked it inside Harry's blankets, and then came back to the other two. For a full minute the three of them stood and looked at the little bundle; Hagrid's shoulders shook, Professor McGonagall blinked furiously, and the twinkling light that usually shone from Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have gone out.**

**"Well," said Dumbledore finally, "that's that. We've no business staying here. We may as well go and join the celebrations."**

**"Yeah," said Hagrid in a very muffled voice, "I'll be takin' Sirius his bike back. G'night, Professor McGonagall - Professor Dumbledore, sir."**

**Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself onto the motorcycle and kicked the engine into life; with a roar it rose into the air and off into the night.**

**"I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall," said Dumbledore, nodding to her. Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply.**

**Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner he stopped and took out the silver Put-Outer. He clicked it once, and twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so that Privet Drive glowed suddenly orange and he could make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street. He could just see the bundle of blankets on the step of number four.**

**"Good luck, Harry," he murmured. He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak, he was gone.**

**A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect**

**astonishing things to happen. Harry Potter rolled over inside his**

**blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside him and he slept on, not knowing he was special, not knowing he was famous, not knowing he would be woken in a few hours' time by Mrs. Dursley's scream as she opened the front door to put out the milk bottles, nor that he would spend the next few weeks being prodded and pinched by his cousin Dudley... He couldn't know that at this very moment, people meeting in secret all over the country were holding up their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter - the boy who lived!"**

"That is the end of the Chapter, feel free to talk now" Amelia announced, she waited she watched the little family huddled together on the couch, Her grandson was clinging to his mother, tears in his green eyes.

At the back of the Vernon spoke "good we will be leaving now" he pulled at his wife's hand to get her on her feet, she quickly followed, with Dudley in tow. How ever in a move so fast that everyone in the room had to check who it was the Dursleys were trapped inside a Magic cage. The eyes searched the room to find both Lilly Evans, And Lilly Potter. On their feet wands pointed at the dursleys. Both women looked at each other, Sirius laughed "looks like you aint going anywhere, take a seat "Remus watched this with a small smile on his face. He had a theory at to what was happening at least 3 of the six them that had brought them here were descendants of Lilly and James. But had no idea who the other 3 were, but in any case, the six had worked very hard to bring everyone forward in time, and by the looks of the ages two different time periods, very complicated indeed, and the purpose of this was to pass information on to us all. Remus very much wanted to talk to the six.

Amelia called to the room "how about something to eat, then we will continue onto the next chapter" she waited, then a little voice called back "yeah im starving" his ears turned pink as everyone looked at him, then there were a few giggles from the younger the Weasley's.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter four

Molly Weasley went to the kitchen to make food for everyone, meanwhile in the living room everyone broke into little groups to talk. Ron and Hermione went over to talk to Harry, who had moved out of his mother arms, but only barely. Lilly Evans didn't let her son go too far from her side, after listening to the first chapter she swore she would never let harry out of her sight. Finally Molly called everyone to the dinning table and began serving a rather delicious lunch, her children had been used to this all their lives, however harry was wary, his aunt and uncle eyed him closely he was sure that if he took to much they would be hell to pay when they got home. As if seeming to read him mind, his mother with the help of Molly piled his plate full of everything and sat him in between them. Harry felt safe and loved for the first time in ten years.

"Well that was interesting, so what do you six want to accomplish" asked Remus, he knew that talking about the death of Prong's and Lilly was going to be hard most of all on harry. But he felt that had better cover it and get it out of the way fast. The six looked at each other finally Scorpius spoke "Well, Moony we what to change the past, Mr Potter, Sorry" he had got at look from prongs that was confused, and a giggle from Lilly "I mean Harry the older Harry from our time. Talked about the second war, and the people he lost, and things he would have liked to do differently to keep people safe and well to save the ones that were lost" Scorpius had very rarely heard Mr Potter talk about the war, he had refused to write about it, despite Kingsley asking him to, he had said he didn't want to relive the pain of losing his family and friends, however he had attended every memorial that had been held for the family and friends that had been lost during the war.

The whole room was silent for a few minutes Rose decided to continue, "Dad said that uncle Harry had been through so much hurt and loss that he nearly gave up. If aunt Ginny and mum and dad hadn't been there uncle harry might have went into hiding. Mum and dad too." She said sadly she had heard her mum say this many times. That was before Kingsley had informed the wizarding world at large that Harry potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger were to be left alone, to live out their lives in peace. There was some more silence "so I can assume that you are the children of Harry…. And who? Remus asked "Well my full name is James Sirius Potter, this is Lilly Luna Potter and Albus Severus Potter and we are the children of Harry and Ginny" James said proudly, Molly let out a little noise of surprise. Then got up from her chair and flew down the table to her grandchildren and hugged each of them tightly she had a few tears in her eyes. A few minutes passed. A ten year old Harry and a nine year old Ginny went very red and hid their faces. Meanwhile a ten year Hermione and Ron, burst out laughing, that was until Rose spoke " My full name is Rose Georgina Weasley and this is my brother Hugo Fredrick Weasley, and we are the children of Ron and Hermione Weasley" she declared loudly. Now it was Ron and Hermione that went very red and hid. The whole room was either in tears of pure joy or laughing so hard the hard tears streaming down their very red faces, Molly looked rather proud and weak almost as if this information was too much for her, she looked round the table and felt her heart expand. She knew that her family would survive; she felt like she had done her job her children had all grown up.

"Hey why aren't our kids here "asked a grumpy looking Fred, the six looked at each other for the answer. It was Scorpius who answered "Well we figured with you two and Sirius in the room, we couldn't handle any more pranksters. There is only so much we can take" he said, his tone was one of mock humour. He had heard all the stories of Fred and George's time at Hogwarts, George would drink Firewiskey, and give the Kids story time when they were younger. The six of them, plus teddy. Had loved every minute of them, although Aunt Alicia would often tell George to give it a rest. Everyone ate in silence for awhile it was Arthur who Turned to Scorpius " and who might you be" his tone was less than welcoming he had an idea of who this young man was, grandson of Lucius Malfoy, the young many had the same pale blond hair, and superior look that Malfoy had. Scorpius seemed to read Arthur's mind "You already had an idea who I am Mr Weasley, I am Scorpius Malfoy, I am the son of Draco Malfoy, Who my mother is, is not important." He said in a detached voice Lilly took his hand under the table the topic of Scorpius's mother had always been a difficult one, His mother Pansy a girl his father went to school with, was not a very nice women she didn't approve of his father's new found attitude towards Mr Potter and she had even less regard for Mr Weasley, and she completed hated Mrs Weasley after all she was nothing but a mudblood she had no right to be married into a pureblood family, even if they were blood traitors.

When Scorpius was at school and he had made friends with James after the first Quidditch match of the school year. He went home for the summer and told his parent about his friends, Draco accepted this "times have changed son, the house you are in makes very little difference these days" he had said calmly, his mother on the other Hand had flew into a rage, and had hit him across the face she had caught her wedding ring and cut him open, Scorpius went to the fireplace, and used the floo network to go straight to the Potters house, Ginny had healed his face for him, and Harry had sent an owl to Draco asking if Scorpius could stay with them for a few days. Draco had said that it was fine, because there was something he needed to take care of when Scorpius returned home four days later, his mother had left and his father was happier for the first time in eleven years. Life had changed for him and his father, things began improving in their relationship, His father and Mr Potter even went to a few of Mrs Potters Quidditch matches. It wasn't a close friendship, but it was a friendship none the less.

Lunch was going well; Sirius had indeed fallen in with Fred and George. Ron and Hermione had sat next to Harry. Molly, Arthur, McGonagall, Dumbledore, Lilly Evan and James Potter along with Snape were having a hushed conversation at one end of the table.

"Albus surely you can the damage done to Harry by staying with the muggles" McGonagall was saying in an angry whisper. Lilly was looking very pale. Dumbledore cast his eyes down to were harry was sitting with Ron and Hermione, he was laughing with his new friends Dumbledore could see the friendship growing. He though it over it would be much safer for harry to stay at the Dursley's but he could see the damage this had done to him. He had no knowledge of his true identity

He was completely unprepared for the wizarding world. Dumbledore had always been fairly certain of his actions, but now he couldn't help but guess himself, these six young men and women had came back to change the past to save Harry and their family suffering.

"It would seem professor that you are quiet right, we cannot leave the child with his aunt and uncle. However since his mother and father are here it should be there choice as to where the boy will stay." Dumbledore said looking to Lilly and James. James seemed to be miles away and Lilly she had her face hid into her boyfriends shoulder. James seemed to be thinking about his fate and the fate of Lilly. He looked straight into Dumbledore eyes, he seemed to be searching for the answer in Dumbledore's eyes "well professor I don't actually know what do to. I mean this is huge, I have only just decided to ask Lil's to marry me" he stopped speaking and turned the same shade a Lilly's hair she took her head out of his shoulder and looked at him. Dumbledore silently told McGonagall and Snape to give the young couple a minute to them selves.

The professors stood a little away, Dumbledore was considering taking the boy to live with him. However this may not be in line with the ministry. McGonagall spoke "I could look after the boy" she said quietly, thinking it over: yes she could have the boy during the summer holidays, it wouldn't be a bother at all, although her muggle neighbours might ask her questions but she could say that dear friend died leaving their child in her care. But could she protect the boy form the ministry. Surely if Dumbledore was to clear it, it would be ok. But then the boy might… "Minerva, I do not think that is a good idea, the boy will have enough attention drawn to him as it is, it would not be wise to have more attention drawn to him by having one of his professors as his guardian, perhaps he should be left where he is" snape said in his cold monotone, he showed no emotion in his eyes, however under the cold exterior his heart was breaking, Lilly Evan was going to die again, and again he was helpless, he had to allow it to happen, if not if he saved her the dark lord would know, he was working for Dumbledore this was the main reason he didn't offer to take the boy. As soon as the dark lord returned he would simply kill the potter boy and rule the wizarding world. No the boy was safer with someone else, safer away from the wizarding world at least this would give them time to prepare for the inevitable fight that was sure to ensue.

Dumbledore looked to the young lovers for the answer, James and Lilly nodded to him they had made the choice James spoke "Lilly and I have talked it over we would like Remus and Molly to both look after him. Clearly petunia and Vernon aren't fit to, so if they could share responsibility, that would be good. At least he would be happy and well looked after" he said he threw at dirty look at the Dursley's, they knew they were being talked about. But still sat as far away from the group these weirdo's were too much for them. Dumbledore nodded Sirius had overheard this conversation and looked a little, not good enough to be Harry's guardian but he guessed that Remus would be better for him. He could raise him and teach him everything he would need to know. And of course Molly would love him to death. He figured that Prong's and Lilly would know what I best for their son. At least he could see Harry.

While everyone had broke into groups, Amelia, took the six aside and asked them a very important question "what exactly did you six do to get everyone here?" she asked the concern was all over her face "well we cast spells to get the past in book, and to bring them forward in time, we had to bring the marauders and grandma from just after they left school, and everyone else a few months before Dad was due to start school, the same with the professors Why?" Lilly asked, her and Rose had worked on the spells that everyone forward, while the boys worked on the place and the ring. "well I was just wondering why you didn't bring your parent from your time I mean surely they would want to be here?" she asked, the six put the heads down. Their parent didn't know anything about what they were doing, and if they did they would probably kill them. Lilly though about her mum and knew that she would go mental. Scorpius again came in with the answer "well, Mr and Mrs Potter as well as Mr and Mrs Weasley don't actually know anything, we though it would be safer for them not to know anything" he said backing up slightly the look Amelia was giving him was furious. James backed up with him. Albus was the only one that didn't seem to notice or care that she was a bright shade of red. "Oh Gran relax we have though of everything, Mum, Dad, Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron will be here at some point, we just don't know when" she said cheerily before going to the table, and picking up a treacle tart.

Everyone talked for another hour, before Amelia called for the room to settle down

"shall we start the next chapter?" she asked, everyone mumbled agreement, everyone had changed where they were sitting so now Harry, Ron and Hermione sat together next to Prong's and Lilly.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter five

"Again I remind everyone, that I would like t get through these chapters in one go, so please hold your tongues "she said a little sternly.

**CHAPTER TWO**

**THE VANISHING GLASS**

**Nearly ten years had passed since the Dursleys had woken up to find their nephew on the front step, but Privet Drive had hardly changed at all. The sun rose on the same tidy front gardens and lit up the brass number four on the Dursleys' front door; it crept into their living room, which was almost exactly the same as it had been on the night when Mr. Dursley had seen that fateful news report about the owls. Only the photographs on the mantelpiece really showed how much time had passed.**

**Ten years ago, there had been lots of pictures of what looked like a large pink beach ball wearing different-colored bonnets - but Dudley Dursley was no longer a baby, and now the photographs showed a large blond boy riding his first bicycle, on a carousel at the fair, playing a computer game with his father, being hugged and kissed by his mother. The room held no sign at all that another boy lived in the house, too. Yet Harry Potter was still there, asleep at the moment, but not for long. His Aunt Petunia was awake and it was her shrill voice that made the first noise of the day.**

**"Up! Get up! Now!"**

**Harry woke with a start. His aunt rapped on the door again.**

**"Up!" she screeched. Harry heard her walking toward the kitchen and then the sound of the frying pan being put on the stove. He rolled onto his back and tried to remember the dream he had been having. It had been a feeling he'd had the same dream before.**

**His aunt was back outside the door.**

**"Are you up yet?" she demanded.**

**"Nearly," said Harry.**

**"Well, get a move on, I want you to look after the bacon. And don't you**

**dare let it burn, I want everything perfect on Duddy's birthday."**

**Harry groaned.**

**"What did you say?" his aunt snapped through the door.**

**"Nothing, nothing..."**

**Dudley's birthday - how could he have forgotten? Harry got slowly out of bed and started looking for socks. He found a pair under his bed and, after pulling a spider off one of them, put them on. Harry was used to spiders, because the cupboard under the stairs was full of them, and that was where he slept.**

"HE SLEEPS IN A CUPBOARD… HOW DARE YOU DO THAT TO MY SON" Lilly screamed at her sister, and before anyone could stop her she cursed her sister. Harry started in amazment. Sirius clapped loudly, Molly glared at Petunia. Dumbledore lowered his head. He had learned how to control his temper over the years.

**When he was dressed he went down the hall into the kitchen. The table was almost hidden beneath all Dudley's birthday presents. It looked as though Dudley had gotten the new computer he wanted, not to mention the second television and the racing bike. Exactly why Dudley wanted a racing bike was a mystery to Harry, as Dudley was very fat and hated exercise - unless of course it involved punching somebody. Dudley's favorite punching bag was Harry, but he couldn't often catch him. Harry didn't look it, but he was very fast. Perhaps it had something to do with living in a dark cupboard, but Harry had always been small and skinny for his age. He looked even smaller and skinnier than he really was because all he had to wear were old clothes of Dudley's, and Dudley was about four times bigger than he was. Harry had a thin face, knobbly knees, black hair, and bright green eyes. He wore round glasses held together with a lot of Scotch tape because of all the times Dudley had punched him on the nose. The only thing Harry liked about his own appearance was a very thin scar on his forehead that was shaped like a bolt of lightning. He had had it as long as he could remember, and the first question he could ever remember asking his Aunt Petunia was how he had gotten it.**

**"In the car crash when your parents died," she had said. "And don't ask questions."**

**Don't ask questions - that was the first rule for a quiet life with the**

**Dursleys. Uncle Vernon entered the kitchen as Harry was turning over the bacon.**

"Car crash, a bloody car crash, was that the best you could do you bloody… " Sirius was cut off "Sirius Black don't you dare finish that sentence" Molly yelled. Sirius looked his feet. Since he had learned of Prong's and Lilly's fate. He was furious, he wanted to make sure Harry was never lied to again. He swore that those muggles would never be near Harry again.

**"Comb your hair!" he barked, by way of a morning greeting.**

**About once a week, Uncle Vernon looked over the top of his newspaper and shouted that Harry needed a haircut. Harry must have had more haircuts than the rest of the boys in his class put together, but it made no difference, his hair simply grew that way -all over the place.**

Prong's ran his hand over his hair at the same time Harry did. The room laughed at the two of them. "it's a Potter trait, nothing ever works" Prong's Said to his son

**Harry was frying eggs by the time Dudley arrived in the kitchen with his mother. Dudley looked a lot like Uncle Vernon. He had a large pink face, not much neck, small, watery blue eyes, and thick blond hair that lay smoothly on his thick, fat head. Aunt Petunia often said that Dudley looked like a baby angel - Harry often said that Dudley looked like a pig in a wig. Harry put the plates of egg and bacon on the table, which was difficult as there wasn't much room. Dudley, meanwhile, was counting his presents. **

**His face fell.**

**"Thirty-six," he said, looking up at his mother and father. "That's two less than last year."**

**"Darling, you haven't counted Auntie Marge's present, see, it's here under this big one from Mommy and Daddy."**

**"All right, thirty-seven then," said Dudley, going red in the face.**

**Harry, who could see a huge Dudley tantrum coming on, began wolfing down his bacon as fast as possible in case Dudley turned the table over. Aunt Petunia obviously scented danger, too, because she said quickly, "And we'll buy you another two presents while we're out today. How's that, popkin? Two more presents. Is that all right''**

Harry looked at his cousin closely, he had never received a birthday present for as long as he could remember. He hated that Dudley always got load of presents, he never looked after them. He had a whole second bedroom full of the presents he had collected over the years and none of it worked. Harry world give anything to move into the second room. He was getting too big for his cupboard.

**Dudley thought for a moment. It looked like hard work. Finally he said slowly, "So I'll have thirty ... thirty..."**

**"Thirty-nine, sweetums," said Aunt Petunia.**

**"Oh." Dudley sat down heavily and grabbed the nearest parcel. "All right then."**

**Uncle Vernon chuckled. "Little tyke wants his money's worth, just like his father. 'Atta boy, Dudley!" He ruffled Dudley's hair.**

**At that moment the telephone rang and Aunt Petunia went to answer it while Harry and Uncle Vernon watched Dudley unwrap the racing bike, a video camera, a remote control airplane, sixteen new computer games, and a VCR. He was ripping the paper off a gold wristwatch when Aunt Petunia came back from the telephone looking both angry and worried.**

**"Bad news, Vernon," she said. "Mrs. Figg's broken her leg. She can't**

**take him." She jerked her head in Harry's direction.**

**Dudley's mouth fell open in horror, but Harry's heart gave a leap. Every year on Dudley's birthday, his parents took him and a friend out for the day, to adventure parks, hamburger restaurants, or the movies. Every year, Harry was left behind with Mrs. Figg, a mad old lady who lived two streets away. Harry hated it there. The whole house smelled of cabbage and Mrs. Figg made him look at photographs of all the cats she'd ever owned.**

**"Now what?" said Aunt Petunia, looking furiously at Harry as though he'd planned this. Harry knew he ought to feel sorry that Mrs. Figg had**

**broken her leg, but it wasn't easy when he reminded himself it would be a whole year before he had to look at Tibbles, Snowy, Mr. Paws, and**

** Tufty again.**

**"We could phone Marge," Uncle Vernon suggested.**

**"Don't be silly, Vernon, she hates the boy."**

Lilly looked at Petunia, angry burning in her cheeks, Petunia looked down at her hands. Petunia hated her sister with a passion, because her mother had made such a fuss over Lilly when they had found out she was a witch. Their mother and father had been so caught up in the new world that been opened up to them. The ooh over diagon alley. And the wizards they meet on the way to change their money. And the broomsticks and all the spells Lilly was learning at her school. Petunia was jealous of her sister. Looking at Harry reminded her of all the pain she went through, how she had never been as good as Lilly.

**The Dursleys often spoke about Harry like this, as though he wasn't there - or rather, as though he was something very nasty that couldn'tunderstand them, like a slug.**

**"What about what's-her-name, your friend - Yvonne?"**

**"On vacation in Majorca," snapped Aunt Petunia.**

**"You could just leave me here," Harry put in hopefully (he'd be able to watch what he wanted on television for a change and maybe even have a go on Dudley's computer).**

**Aunt Petunia looked as though she'd just swallowed a lemon.**

**"And come back and find the house in ruins?" she snarled.**

**"I won't blow up the house," said Harry, but they weren't listening.**

**"I suppose we could take him to the zoo," said Aunt Petunia slowly, "...**

**and leave him in the car..."**

**"That car's new, he's not sitting in it alone..."**

**Dudley began to cry loudly. In fact, he wasn't really crying - it had been years since he'd really cried - but he knew that if he screwed up his face and wailed, his mother would give him anything he wanted.**

**"Dinky Duddydums, don't cry, Mummy won't let him spoil your special**

**day!" she cried, flinging her arms around him.**

**"I... don't... want... him... t-t-to come!" Dudley yelled between huge,**

**pretend sobs. "He always sp- spoils everything!" He shot Harry a nasty**

**grin through the gap in his mother's arms.**

**Just then, the doorbell rang - "Oh, good Lord, they're here!" said Aunt Petunia frantically - and a moment later, Dudley's best friend, Piers Polkiss, walked in with his mother. Piers was a scrawny boy with a face like a rat. He was usually the one who held people's arms behind their backs while Dudley hit them. Dudley stopped pretending to cry at once. Half an hour later, Harry, who couldn't believe his luck, was sitting in the back of the Dursleys' car with Piers and Dudley, on the way to the zoo for the first time in his life. His aunt and uncle hadn't been able to think of anything else to do with him, but before they'd left, Uncle Vernon had taken Harry aside.**

**"I'm warning you," he had said, putting his large purple face right up**

**close to Harry's, "I'm warning you now, boy - any funny business,**

**anything at all - and you'll be in that cupboard from now until**

**Christmas."**

**"I'm not going to do anything," said Harry, "honestly.. But Uncle Vernon didn't believe him. No one ever did. The problem was, strange things often happened around Harry and it was just no good telling the Dursleys he didn't make them happen. Once, Aunt Petunia, tired of Harry coming back from the barbers looking as though he hadn't been at all, had taken a pair of kitchen scissors and cut his hair so short he was almost bald except for his bangs, which she left "to hide that horrible scar." Dudley had laughed himself sillyat Harry, who spent a sleepless night imagining school the next day, where he was already laughed at for his baggy clothes and taped glasses. Next morning, however, he had gotten up to find his hair exactly as it had been before Aunt Petunia had sheared it off He had been given a week in his cupboard for this, even though he had tried to explain that he couldn't explain how it had grown back so quickly.**

"Accidental magic Harry, very common, in young wizard" Remus said, Harry smiled thank god, and at least he knew what was going on know**.**

**Another time, Aunt Petunia had been trying to force him into a revolting Old sweater of Dudley's (brown with orange puff balls) - The harder she tried to pull it over his head, the smaller it seemed to become, until finally it might have fitted a hand puppet, but certainly wouldn't fit Harry. Aunt Petunia had decided it must have shrunk in the wash and, to his great relief, Harry wasn't punished. On the other hand, he'd gotten into terrible trouble for being found on the roof of the school kitchens.**

**Dudley's gang had been chasing him as usual when, as much to Harry's surprise as anyone else's, there he was sitting on the chimney. The Dursleys had received a very angry letter from Harry's headmistress telling them Harry had been climbing school buildings. But all he'd tried to do (as he shouted at Uncle Vernon through the locked door of his cupboard) was jump behind the big trash cans outside the kitchen doors. Harry supposed that the wind must have caught him in mid- jump.**

**But today, nothing was going to go wrong. It was even worth being with Dudley and Piers to be spending the day somewhere that wasn't school, his cupboard, or Mrs. Figg's cabbage-smelling living room. While he drove, Uncle Vernon complained to Aunt Petunia. He liked to complain about things: people at work, Harry, the council, Harry, the bank, and Harry were just a few of his favorite subjects. This morning, it was motorcycles.**

**"... roaring along like maniacs, the young hoodlums," he said, as a**

**motorcycle overtook them.**

**I had a dream about a motorcycle," said Harry, remembering suddenly. "It was flying."**

**Uncle Vernon nearly crashed into the car in front. He turned right around in his seat and yelled at Harry, his face like a gigantic beet with a mustache: "MOTORCYCLES DON'T FLY!"**

**Dudley and Piers sniggered.**

**I know they don't," said Harry. "It was only a dream."**

**But he wished he hadn't said anything. If there was one thing the Dursleys hated even more than his asking questions, it was his talkingabout anything acting in a way it shouldn't, no matter if it was in adream or even a cartoon - they seemed to think he might get dangerous ideas.**

**It was a very sunny Saturday and the zoo was crowded with families. The Dursleys bought Dudley and Piers large chocolate ice creams at the entrance and then, because the smiling lady in the van had asked Harry what he wanted before they could hurry him away, they bought him a cheap lemon ice pop. It wasn't bad, either, Harry thought, licking it as they watched a gorilla scratching its head who looked remarkably like Dudley, except that it wasn't blond.**

**Harry had the best morning he'd had in a long time. He was careful to walk a little way apart from the Dursleys so that Dudley and Piers, who were starting to get bored with the animals by lunchtime, wouldn't fall back on their favorite hobby of hitting him. They ate in the zoo restaurant, and when Dudley had a tantrum because his knickerbocker glory didn't have enough ice cream on top, Uncle Vernon bought him another one and Harry was allowed to finish the first. Harry felt, afterward, that he should have known it was all too good to last.**

**After lunch they went to the reptile house. It was cool and dark in there, with lit windows all along the walls. Behind the glass, all sorts**

**of lizards and snakes were crawling and slithering over bits of wood and stone. Dudley and Piers wanted to see huge, poisonous cobras and thick, man-crushing pythons. Dudley quickly found the largest snake in the place. It could have wrapped its body twice around Uncle Vernon's car and crushed it into a trash can - but at the moment it didn't look in the mood. In fact, it was fast asleep.**

**Dudley stood with his nose pressed against the glass, staring at the glistening brown coils.**

**"Make it move," he whined at his father. Uncle Vernon tapped on the glass, but the snake didn't budge.**

**"Do it again," Dudley ordered. Uncle Vernon rapped the glass smartly with his knuckles, but the snake just snoozed on.**

**"This is boring," Dudley moaned. He shuffled away.**

**Harry moved in front of the tank and looked intently at the snake. He wouldn't have been surprised if it had died of boredom itself - no company except stupid people drumming their fingers on the glass trying to disturb it all day long. It was worse than having a cupboard as a bedroom, where the only visitor was Aunt Petunia hammering on the door to wake you up; at least he got to visit the rest of the house.**

**The snake suddenly opened its beady eyes. Slowly, very slowly, it raised its head until its eyes were on a level with Harry's. It winked. Harry stared. Then he looked quickly around to see if anyone was watching. They weren't. He looked back at the snake and winked, too.**

**The snake jerked its head toward Uncle Vernon and Dudley, then raised its eyes to the ceiling. It gave Harry a look that said quite plainly:**

**"I get that all the time.**

**"I know," Harry murmured through the glass, though he wasn't sure the**

**snake could hear him. "It must be really annoying." The snake nodded vigorously.**

**"Where do you come from, anyway?" Harry asked.**

**The snake jabbed its tail at a little sign next to the glass. Harry**

**peered at it.**

**Boa Constrictor, Brazil.**

**"Was it nice there?"**

**The boa constrictor jabbed its tail at the sign again and Harry read on:**

**This specimen was bred in the zoo. "Oh, I see - so you've never been to**

**Brazil?"**

**As the snake shook its head, a deafening shout behind Harry made both of them jump.**

**"DUDLEY! MR. DURSLEY! COME AND LOOK AT THIS SNAKE! YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT IT'S DOING!" Dudley came waddling toward them as fast as he could.**

**"Out of the way, you," he said, punching Harry in the ribs. Caught by surprise, Harry fell hard on the concrete floor. What came next happened so fast no one saw how it happened - one second, Piers and Dudley were leaning right up close to the glass, the next, they had leapt back with howls of horror.**

**Harry sat up and gasped; the glass front of the boa constrictor's tank had vanished. The great snake was uncoiling itself rapidly, slithering out onto the floor. People throughout the reptile house screamed and started running for the exits.**

**As the snake slid swiftly past him, Harry could have sworn a low,**

**hissing voice said, "Brazil, here I come... Thanksss, amigo."**

**The keeper of the reptile house was in shock.**

"very interesting" said Dumbledore. He had a theory developing, this was an interesting situation. Maybe just maybe**.**

**"But the glass," he kept saying, "where did the glass go**

**The zoo director himself made Aunt Petunia a cup of strong, sweet tea while he apologized over and over again. Piers and Dudley could only gibber. As far as Harry had seen, the snake hadn't done anything except snap playfully at their heels as it passed, but by the time they were all back in Uncle Vernon's car, Dudley was telling them how it had nearly bitten off his leg, while Piers was swearing it had tried to squeeze him to death. But worst of all, for Harry at least, was Piers calming down enough to say, "Harry was talking to it, weren't you, Harry?"**

**Uncle Vernon waited until Piers was safely out of the house before starting on Harry. He was so angry he could hardly speak. He managed to say, "Go - cupboard - stay - no meals," before he collapsed into a chair, and Aunt Petunia had to run and get him a large brandy. Harry lay in his dark cupboard much later, wishing he had a watch. He didn't know what time it was and he couldn't be sure the Dursleys were asleep yet. Until they were, he couldn't risk sneaking to the kitchen for some food.**

**He'd lived with the Dursleys almost ten years, ten miserable years, as long as he could remember, ever since he'd been a baby and his parents had died in that car crash. He couldn't remember being in the car when his parents had died. Sometimes, when he strained his memory during long hours in his cupboard, he came up with a strange vision: a blinding flash of green light and a burn- ing pain on his forehead. This, he supposed, was the crash, though he couldn't imagine where all the green light came from. He couldn't remember his parents at all. His aunt and uncle never spoke about them, and of course he was forbidden to ask questions. There were no photographs of them in the house.**

**When he had been younger, Harry had dreamed and dreamed of some unknown relation coming to take him away, but it had never happened; the Dursleys were his only family. Yet sometimes he thought (or maybe hoped) that strangers in the street seemed to know him. Very strange strangers they were, too. A tiny man in a violet top hat had bowed to him once while out shopping with Aunt Petunia and Dudley. After asking Harry furiously if he knew the man, Aunt Petunia had rushed them out of the shop without buying anything. A wild-looking old woman dressed all in green had waved merrily at him once on a bus. A bald man in a very long purple coat had actually shaken his hand in the street the other day and then walked away without a word. The weirdest thing about all these**

**people was the way they seemed to vanish the second Harry tried to get a closer look. At school, Harry had no one. Everybody knew that Dudley's gang hated that odd Harry Potter in his baggy old clothes and broken glasses, and nobody liked to disagree with Dudley's gang.**

"that is the end of the chapter " Amelia announced, the six braced themselves for more questions, they knew that this would happen. James looked at Harry he loved this boy more than anything in the world, and knew he would do anything to protect him even giving his own life. He knew Lilly felt the same it was easy to see it, in the way she held Harry.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N its has been awhile since i updated due to personal reasons. this is a bit longer than the others... also i has started to make a few changed to relationships in here. hope you like it... i should be updating more often now**

**thank you to all those who take the time read this and thanks for reviews.  
**

Chapter six

Harry had been sitting with mother and father. Now he turned to them "Dad, can I see you wand?" Harry wondered if he could do any spells at all. But mostly he just wanted to see one, James pulled out his wand and gave it to Harry, he took it carefully. Dumbledore watched closely to see if anything would happen and sure enough when Harry took his father's wand a bright red sparks came out the end of it. Harry was completely memorized by the wand. He began waving the wand in circle, watching the sparks following as connected by invisible string. Ron complained loudly "why can't I get to do that, every time I ask I get told no" he watched Harry the jealousy coming off him in waves. Lilly smiled at the boy "here Ron, you can try mine if you like?" she offered the boy sweetly, Ron had the good sense to look embarrassed, Lilly held her wand out to Ron and he took it muttering thanks, When Ron took Lilly's wand a few sparks came out the tip, Ron and harry looked so pleased with them selves they pretended to duel

All the adults in the room found this very amusing. Hermione watched the boys running around the room. Remus gave her his wand and she pointed it at books at the book case, and all the books fell out the stand, she dropped the wand quickly, Remus picked it up and handed back to her. She took it carefully, Remus whispered in her ear, she pointed the wand at the books again and whispered "Wing-gar-dium

Levi-o-sa," The books flew around the room, she pointed the wand at the bookcase and the books floated back into place.

While the kids played with the borrowed wands, the adults along with the marauders sat at the table in the kitchen. "I don't want my son going through that with her." Said Lilly, while throwing an evil glare at her sister. "I quiet agree Miss Evans. You propose that others look after your son." Dumbledore said his eyes twinkling Lilly nodded.

"Good we don't want the boy. He has been nothing but trouble in our house" said Vernon. Molly pointed her wand at Vernon, "don't you dare say another word" she said with venom dripping off every word.

"Lilly who do you want to take care of Harry, because Arthur and I would take him" she said warmly Arthur nodded in agreement. James looked at Lilly, he could read her face "thank you Molly, but we were hoping that you could help Remus raise him. We would never ask you to take to Harry, you have your own family, however if you could be there to guide Harry, and help Remus adjusted to being a parent" James said holding back a few tears. Molly nodded wiping a few tears away. Remus looked shocked "you want me to take care of your son… Really?" The room was silent apart from the kids running around still waving wands about. "Of course Moony" James said, "Prongs you know my nature, the ministry, they won't approve, Harry needs someone who he can be safe around. He will be outcast by most people because of my nature" Remus hung his head the worry wrote all over his face. He really couldn't see him self with a child, being a werewolf prevented him from considering it. He would never wish that fate on anyone. Rose had been watching Remus closely she could see the pain on his face. Rose he heart felt like it was breaking, she knew fine well that Remus could have a family and he would have been a wonderful father, she indicated to James Jnr. that she was going out side. Moments later she returned with a tall boy, with dark blue hair. And brown eyes. His head was lowered and he looked wary. As soon as he saw his friends he gave a small smile Rose whispered something to him, and he laughed quietly to him self.

Scorpius called "hey Teddy". Teddy waved back. The rest of the room looked at Teddy, with curiosity. Teddy moved over to sit with with Rose and James s. he gave a Rose a quick glance. Lilly Luna wrapped an arm round him and whispered to him. He nodded and Lilly spoke " Everyone I want to introduce you to my best friend Teddy Lupin" the smile on her face was huge, all the eyes in the room shot from Moony to Teddy and back again a few times. Before Dumbledore cut the tension "well this is interesting, nice to meet you Teddy" Dumbledore smiled at the boy though racing through his head Lilly smiled at Moony "well that clears that up" she said with a smug smile on her face and hugged closer to prongs.

After some more sporadic conversation. The group finally decided to have a snack, and continue reading Amelia called the group together again. Everyone paired of with family, and their friends close by, Amelia watched the scene closely. This was he legacy. She felt pride swell up in her heart. The the love for all of them washed through her so completely it took her a few seconds to compose her self to speak. "Al-right everyone, I will remind you that I want to get though the full chapter before you all speak. I will of course give you time at the end to talk everything over" her tone rang with authority of the matriarch of her family, no one wanted to get on her bad side.

"CHAPTER THREE

THE LETTERS FROM NO ONE" "do you think this is where harry gets his letter for Hogwarts" Prongs asked the room in general Padfoot grinned a huge grin and nodded excitedly Amelia began again

**"The escape of the Brazilian boa constrictor earned Harry his**

**longest-ever punishment. By the time he was allowed out of his cupboard**

**again, the summer holidays had started and Dudley had already broken his new video camera, crashed his remote control airplane, and, first time**

**out on his racing bike, knocked down old Mrs. Figg as she crossed Privet**

**Drive on her crutches. Harry was glad school was over, but there was no escaping Dudley's gang, who visited the house every single day. Piers, Dennis, Malcolm, and Gordon were all big and stupid, but as Dudley was the biggest and stupidest of the lot, he was the leader. The rest of them were all quite happy to join in Dudley's favorite sport: Harry Hunting.**

**This was why Harry spent as much time as possible out of the house,**

**wandering around and thinking about the end of the holidays, where he**

**could see a tiny ray of hope. When September came he would be going off to secondary school and, for the first time in his life, he wouldn't be**

**with Dudley. Dudley had been accepted at Uncle Vernon's old private**

**school, Smelting. Piers Polkiss was going there too. Harry, on the**

**other hand, was going to Stonewall High, the local public school. Dudley**

**thought this was very funny.**

**"They stuff people's heads down the toilet the first day at Stonewall,"**

**he told Harry. "Want to come upstairs and practice?"**

**"No, thanks," said Harry. "The poor toilet's never had anything as**

**horrible as your head down it - it might be sick." Then he ran, before**

**Dudley could work out what he'd said. The twins and the marauder's burst out in hysterics "BRILLIANT HARRY, BLOODY BRILLIANT" the shouted together, the marauder's on the other were impressed but though Harry could have done better but decided to hold off saying anything they had to give harry a chance to prove himself**

**One day in July, Aunt Petunia took Dudley to London to buy his Smelting uniform, leaving Harry at Mrs. Figg's. Mrs. Figg wasn 't as bad as usual. It turned out she'd broken her leg tripping over one of her cats,**

"wait isn't that Arabella Figg" Molly asked Dumbledore, he nodded.

**"and she didn't seem quite as fond of them as before. She let Harry watch**

**television and gave him a bit of chocolate cake that tasted as though**

**she'd had it for several years.**

**That evening, Dudley paraded around the living room for the family in**

**his brand-new uniform. Smelting s' boys wore maroon tailcoats, orange**

**knickerbockers, and flat straw hats called boaters. They also carried**

**knobbly sticks, used for hitting each other while the teachers weren't**

**looking. This was supposed to be good training for later life.**

**As he looked at Dudley in his new knickerbockers, Uncle Vernon said**

**gruffly that it was the proudest moment of his life. Aunt Petunia burst**

**into tears and said she couldn't believe it was her Ickle Dudleykins, he**

**looked so handsome and grown-up. Harry didn't trust himself to speak. H**

**thought two of his ribs might already have cracked from trying not to**

**laugh.**

**There was a horrible smell in the kitchen the next morning when Harry**

**went in for breakfast. It seemed to be coming from a large metal tub in**

**the sink. He went to have a look. The tub was full of what looked like**

**dirty rags swimming in Gray water.**

**"What's this?" he asked Aunt Petunia. Her lips tightened as they always**

**did if he dared to ask a question.**

**"Your new school uniform," she said.**

**Harry looked in the bowl again.**

**"Oh," he said, "I didn't realize it had to be so wet."**

a few giggles could be hear round the room. The twins looked at Harry and shook their heads sadly. The marauder's hung their heads Prongs turned to him son "please tell me you get better at insults and pranking, you have a lot to live up to you know." his tone was so serious Harry didn't know what to do he wanted to laugh but couldn't his father looked so disappointed. Lilly Luna seeing her father was in trouble decided to save him " Don't worry grandpa, he get sooo much better. Just wait" her face lit up with excitement, and a surprisingly evil smirk. Prongs Moony and Padfoot shared a knowing smile

**"Don't be stupid," snapped Aunt Petunia. "I'm dyeing some of Dudley's old things Gray for you. It'll look just like everyone else's when I've**

**finished." Harry seriously doubted this, but thought it best not to argue. He sat down at the table and tried not to think about how he was going to look on his first day at Stonewall High - like he was wearing bits of old**

**elephant skin, probably.**

**Dudley and Uncle Vernon came in, both with wrinkled noses because of the smell from Harry's new uniform. Uncle Vernon opened his newspaper as usual and Dudley banged his Smelting stick, which he carried everywhere,on the table.**

**They heard the click of the mail slot and flop of letters on the**

**doormat.**

**"Get the mail, Dudley," said Uncle Vernon from behind his paper.**

**"Make Harry get it."**

**"Get the mail, Harry."**

**"Make Dudley get it."**

**"Poke him with your Smelting stick, Dudley."**

**Harry dodged the Smelting stick and went to get the mail. Three things**

**lay on the doormat: a postcard from Uncle Vernon's sister Marge, who was holidaying on the Isle of Wight, a brown envelope that looked like a**

**bill, and - a letter for Harry.**

**Harry picked it up and stared at it, his heart twanging like a giant**

**elastic band. No one, ever, in his whole life, had written to him. Who**

**would? He had no friends, no other relatives - he didn't belong to the**

**library, so he'd never even got rude notes asking for books back. Yet**

**here it was, a letter, addressed so plainly there could be no mistake:**

**Mr. H. Potter**

**The Cupboard under the Stairs**

**4 Privet Drive**

**Little Whinging**

**Surrey**

**The envelope was thick and heavy, made of yellowish parchment, and the**

**address was written in emerald-green ink. There was no stamp.**

**Turning the envelope over, his hand trembling, Harry saw a purple wax**

**seal bearing a coat of arms; a lion, an eagle, a badger, and a snake**

**surrounding a large letter H.**

"HOGWARTS" several voices screamed, everyone knew now that Harry's life would get better, he would be returning to the world he belonged in. Prongs and Lilly relaxed greatly at this, Harry would be under Dumbledore watchful eye now he would be safe.

"**Hurry up, boy!" shouted Uncle Vernon from the kitchen. "What are you**

**doing, checking for letter bombs?" He chuckled at his own joke.**

**Harry went back to the kitchen, still staring at his letter. He handed**

**Uncle Vernon the bill and the postcard, sat down, and slowly began to**

**open the yellow envelope.**

**Uncle Vernon ripped open the bill, snorted in disgust, and flipped over**

**the postcard.**

**"Marge's ill," he informed Aunt Petunia. "Ate a funny whelk. -."**

**"Dad!" said Dudley suddenly. "Dad, Harry's got something!"**

**Harry was on the point of unfolding his letter, which was written on the**

**same heavy parchment as the envelope, when it was jerked sharply out of**

**his hand by Uncle Vernon.**

**"That's mine!" said Harry, trying to snatch it back.**

**"Who'd be writing to you?" sneered Uncle Vernon, shaking the letter open**

**with one hand and glancing at it. His face went from red to green faster**

**than a set of traffic lights. And it didn't stop there. Within seconds**

**it was the grayish white of old porridge.**

**"P-P-Petunia!" he gasped.**

**Dudley tried to grab the letter to read it, but Uncle Vernon held it**

**high out of his reach. Aunt Petunia took it curiously and read the first**

**line. For a moment it looked as though she might faint. She clutched her**

**throat and made a choking noise.**

**"Vernon! Oh my goodness - Vernon!"**

**They stared at each other, seeming to have forgotten that Harry and**

**Dudley were still in the room. Dudley wasn't used to being ignored. He**

**gave his father a sharp tap on the head with his Smelting stick.**

**"I want to read that letter," he said loudly. want to read it," said Harry furiously, "as it's mine."**

**"Get out, both of you," croaked Uncle Vernon, stuffing the letter back**

**inside its envelope.**

**Harry didn't move.**

**I WANT MY LETTER!" he shouted.**

**"Let me see it!" demanded Dudley.**

**"OUT!" roared Uncle Vernon, and he took both Harry and Dudley by the**

**scruffs of their necks and threw them into the hall, slamming the**

**kitchen door behind them. Harry and Dudley promptly had a furious but**

**silent fight over who would listen at the keyhole; Dudley won, so Harry,**

**his glasses dangling from one ear, lay flat on his stomach to listen at**

**the crack between door and floor.**

**"Vernon," Aunt Petunia was saying in a quivering voice, "look at the**

**address - how could they possibly know where he sleeps? You don't think they're watching the house?"**

**"Watching - spying - might be following us," muttered Uncle Vernon**

**wildly.**

**"But what should we do, Vernon? Should we write back? Tell them we don't want -"**

**Harry could see Uncle Vernon's shiny black shoes pacing up and down the kitchen.**

**"No," he said finally. "No, we'll ignore it. If they don't get an**

**answer... Yes, that's best... we won't do anything...**

Everyone in the room glared at the muggles in the room, Molly was beside herself with angry "what in merlin's name is wrong with you people. First you don't want Harry and then you are denying him a chance to get away from you, all because he is a wizard. You people confuse me... I should hex you into next week" she said fuming. Everyone in the room agreed with er but Molly was the only one to voice her opinion. The dursely's had the good sense to keep quiet. Harry was growing more embarrassed with each new detail of his live being shared. He want the ground to open up and swallow him whole. His whole family was in this room and he wanted to hide away from them right now.

**"But -"**

**"I'm not having one in the house, Petunia! Didn't we swear when we took**

**him in we'd stamp out that dangerous nonsense?"**

**That evening when he got back from work, Uncle Vernon did something he'd never done before; he visited Harry in his cupboard.**

**"Where's my letter?" said Harry, the moment Uncle Vernon had squeezed**

**through the door. "Who's writing to me?"**

**"No one. it was addressed to you by mistake," said Uncle Vernon shortly.**

**"I have burned it.**

**"It was not a mistake," said Harry angrily, "it had my cupboard on it."**

**"SILENCE!" yelled Uncle Vernon, and a couple of spiders fell from the**

**ceiling. He took a few deep breaths and then forced his face into a**

**smile, which looked quite painful.**

**"Er - yes, Harry - about this cupboard. Your aunt and I have been**

**thinking... you're really getting a bit big for it... we think it might**

**be nice if you moved into Dudley's second bedroom.**

**"Why?" said Harry.**

**"Don't ask questions!" snapped his uncle. "Take this stuff upstairs,**

**now."**

**The Dursleys' house had four bedrooms: one for Uncle Vernon and Aunt**

**Petunia, one for visitors (usually Uncle Vernon's sister, Marge), one**

**where Dudley slept, and one where Dudley kept all the toys and things**

**that wouldn't fit into his first bedroom. It only took Harry one trip**

**upstairs to move everything he owned from the cupboard to this room. He**

**sat down on the bed and stared around him. Nearly everything in here was**

**broken. The month-old video camera was lying on top of a small, working tank Dudley had once driven over the next door neighbour's dog; in the corner was Dudley's first-ever television set, which he'd put his foot through when his favorite program had been cancelled; there was a large birdcage, which had once held a parrot that Dudley had swapped at school for a real air rifle, which was up on a shelf with the end all bent**

**because Dudley had sat on it. Other shelves were full of books. They**

**were the only things in the room that looked as though they'd never been**

**touched.**

**From downstairs came the sound of Dudley bawling at his mother, I don't**

**want him in there... I need that room... make him get out..."**

**Harry sighed and stretched out on the bed. Yesterday he'd have given**

**anything to be up here. Today he'd rather be back in his cupboard with**

**that letter than up here without it.**

Everyone kept looking at Harry, but no one seemed to sense his discomfort. Well no one but Snape he looked into the boys head and saw everything. "Mr Potter come with me please" everyone in the room froze. All eyes turned to Snape all registering the same thing confusion Harry took a second and got up and followed Snape out of the reading room down the hall to the door and into the enchanted garden. "Mr Potter you seem to need a few minute to clear your head, I understand this is difficult for you and I am also aware this in these books, it may seem as if I hate you because of your father. I do not hate you, if fact you remind me very much of your father from what I have seen and that it not help me so you any kindness at all" he stopped to look at Harry, Harry had no idea what to say he nodded "your life has been hard, and what I am about to tell you stays between us is that clear" his tone was sharp but not hostile harry again nodded in agreement "I met your mother when we were children, she helped me through a difficult time in my life. Your mother is a wonderful person. However just as we were about to leave school we got into an argument. I warned Dumbledore about Voldermort's attack on your family. It the hopes of saving her. But she gave her life for you. I believe that Voldermort will return and you are key to his ultimate defeat, it may not seem like it but I am working in your favour however this mean I cannot show you any kindness at school in front of the other. But should you require anything I will of course try to help you. And on that note I should warn you that Draco is my godson and I will favour him over you every time. Also his father has asked him to try and befriend you I suggest you try, it will make things better for all concerned in the long term" Snape finished there and allowed Harry some time to think everything over. Harry sat and contemplated every thing Professor Snape had told him. All the while throwing leafs into the pond. Snape sat next to him seemingly lost in his thoughts, Snape remembered a time before he started school. He and Lilly were sitting in the park on the grass under a big oak tree they were talking about how life would be when they were older "Sev, promise me you will always be my friend. Your my best friend and I don't want to lose you" Lilly asked him. He turned to look at her face he beautiful green eyes were shining with worry. Her lip trembled Severus felt his hear give a little skip "of course we will always be friends Lil's . I promise I will always be here for you, and I wont let anything happen to you" his tone pleaded with her to understand that she was the only one in the world he truly cared about, and that cared about him. Snape realised that was the moment that he loved her. He had spent the last ten years of his life hating everything to do with Potter and his little friends, and all he was doing was break a promise that he had made to the love of his life, he promised that he would always be there for her and never let anything happen to her he had tried to save her. Now he understood what Dumbledore meant when he said the way forward was clear.

"Come Po... Harry we should get back inside so you grandmother can continue. Harry looked at him "Thank you sir" he said and turned back to the little cottage that was changing his fate every so slowly. He smiled.

All eyes were on them as they entered to room. Prongs looked ready to commit murder "What did you do with my son" Prongs growled darkly Harry sat next to him mother while Snape turned to face Prongs "I have done nothing to your son James. I now what you think of me, but unlike you I have ten years to regret the actions of out past, and the hurt I caused Lilly, it is time to put this to rest don't you think?" Snape said calmly before sitting down next to the headmaster, who smiled at him and nodded. Lilly had tears in her eyes she got up from her seat and walked over to Snape as he meet her eyes his heart exploded. She hugged him tightly "thanks Sev for everything" lilly whispered through the tears. With those words she had forgiven him for everything little wrong he had done against her. His hatred drained away was was replaced with something else. Lilly let him go but took his hand and pulled him to sit next to her and harry. Finally Amelia decided to continue reading

**"Next morning at breakfast, everyone was rather quiet. Dudley was in**

**shock. He'd screamed, whacked his father with his Smelting stick, been**

**sick on purpose, kicked his mother, and thrown his tortoise through the**

**greenhouse roof, and he still didn't have his room back. Harry was thinking about this time yesterday and bitterly wishing he'd opened the**

**letter in the hall. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia kept looking at each**

**other darkly.**

**When the mail arrived, Uncle Vernon, who seemed to be trying to be nice**

**to Harry, made Dudley go and get it. They heard him banging things with**

**his Smelting stick all the way down the hall. Then he shouted, "There's**

**another one! 'Mr. H. Potter, The Smallest Bedroom, 4 Privet Drive -'"**

**With a strangled cry, Uncle Vernon leapt from his seat and ran down the**

**hall, Harry right behind him. Uncle Vernon had to wrestle Dudley to the**

**ground to get the letter from him, which was made difficult by the fact**

**that Harry had grabbed Uncle Vernon around the neck from behind. After a minute of confused fighting, in which everyone got hit a lot by the**

**Smelting stick, Uncle Vernon straightened up, gasping for breath, with**

**Harry's letter clutched in his hand.**

**"Go to your cupboard - I mean, your bedroom," he wheezed at Harry.**

**"Dudley - go - just go."**

**Harry walked round and round his new room. Someone knew he had moved out of his cupboard and they seemed to know he hadn't received his first letter. Surely that meant they'd try again? And this time he'd make sure they didn't fail. He had a plan.**

**"Letter from Hogwart's will continue to come until the letter has been delieved to the right person and in Harry's case, there is an extra enchantment so that they will multiply in number until he responds. " Said Minvera, she smiled over to the buy she had seen in ten years**

**The repaired alarm clock rang at six o'clock the next morning. Harry**

**turned it off quickly and dressed silently. He mustn't wake the**

**Dursleys. He stole downstairs without turning on any of the lights.**

**He was going to wait for the postman on the corner of Privet Drive and**

**get the letters for number four first. His heart hammered as he crept**

**across the dark hall toward the front door -**

**Harry leapt into the air; he'd trodden on something big and squashy on**

**the doormat - something alive!**

**Lights clicked on upstairs and to his horror Harry realized that the**

**big, squashy something had been his uncle's face. Uncle Vernon had been**

**lying at the foot of the front door in a sleeping bag, clearly making**

**sure that Harry didn't do exactly what he'd been trying to do. He**

**shouted at Harry for about half an hour and then told him to go and make**

**a cup of tea. Harry shuffled miserably off into the kitchen and by the**

**time he got back, the mail had arrived, right into Uncle Vernon's lap. Harry could see three letters addressed in green ink.**

**I want -" he began, but Uncle Vernon was tearing the letters into**

**pieces before his eyes. Uncle Vernon didnt go to work that day. He**

**stayed at home and nailed up the mail slot.**

**"See," he explained to Aunt Petunia through a mouthful of nails, "if**

**they can't deliver them they'll just give up."**

**"I'm not sure that'll work, Vernon."**

**"Oh, these people's minds work in strange ways, Petunia, they're not**

**like you and me," said Uncle Vernon, trying to knock in a nail with the**

**piece of fruitcake Aunt Petunia had just brought him.**

**On Friday, no less than twelve letters arrived for Harry. As they**

**couldn't go through the mail slot they had been pushed under the door,**

**slotted through the sides, and a few even forced through the small**

**window in the downstairs bathroom.**

**Uncle Vernon stayed at home again. After burning all the letters, he got**

**out a hammer and nails and boarded up the cracks around the front and**

**back doors so no one could go out. He hummed "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" as he worked, and jumped at small noises.**

**On Saturday, things began to get out of hand. Twenty-four letters to**

**Harry found their way into the house, rolled up and hidden inside each**

**of the two dozen eggs that their very confused milkman had handed Aunt**

**Petunia through the living room window. While Uncle Vernon made furious telephone calls to the post office and the dairy trying to find someone to complain to, Aunt Petunia shredded the letters in her food processor.**

**"Who on earth wants to talk to you this badly?" Dudley asked Harry in**

**amazement. On Sunday morning, Uncle Vernon sat down at the breakfast table looking tired and rather ill, but happy.**

**"No post on Sundays," he reminded them cheerfully as he spread marmalade on his newspapers, "no damn letters today -"**

**Something came whizzing down the kitchen chimney as he spoke and caught him sharply on the back of the head. Next moment, thirty or forty letters came pelting out of the fireplace like bullets. The Dursleys**

**ducked, but Harry leapt into the air trying to catch one.**

**"Out! OUT!"**

**Uncle Vernon seized Harry around the waist and threw him into the hall.**

**When Aunt Petunia and Dudley had run out with their arms over their**

**faces, Uncle Vernon slammed the door shut. They could hear the letters**

**still streaming into the room, bouncing off the walls and floor.**

**"That does it," said Uncle Vernon, trying to speak calmly but pulling**

**great tufts out of his mustache at the same time. I want you all back**

**here in five minutes ready to leave. We're going away. Just pack some**

**clothes. No arguments!" He looked so dangerous with half his mustache missing that no one dared argue. Ten minutes later they had wrenched their way through the boarded-up doors and were in the car, speeding toward the highway. Dudley was sniffling in the back seat; his father had hit him round the head for holding them up while he tried to pack his television, VCR, and computer in his sports bag.**

**They drove. And they drove. Even Aunt Petunia didn't dare ask where they were going. Every now and then Uncle Vernon would take a sharp turn and drive in the opposite direction for a while. "Shake'em off... shake 'em off," he would mutter whenever he did this. They didn't stop to eat or drink all day. By nightfall Dudley was howling. He'd never had such a bad day in his life. He was hungry, he'd missed five television programs he'd wanted to see, and he'd never gone so long without blowing up an alien on his computer.**

**Uncle Vernon stopped at last outside a gloomy-looking hotel on the**

**outskirts of a big city. Dudley and Harry shared a room with twin beds**

**and damp, musty sheets. Dudley snored but Harry stayed awake, sitting on the windowsill, staring down at the lights of passing cars and**

**wondering... They ate stale cornflakes and cold tinned tomatoes on toast for breakfast the next day. They had just finished when the owner of the**

**hotel came over to their table.**

**"**

**'Scuse me, but is one of you Mr. H. Potter? Only I got about an 'undredof these at the front desk."**

**She held up a letter so they could read the green ink address:**

**Mr. H. Potter**

**Room 17**

**Railview Hotel**

**Cokeworth**

**Harry made a grab for the letter but Uncle Vernon knocked his hand out**

**of the way. The woman stared.**

**"I'll take them," said Uncle Vernon, standing up quickly and following**

**her from the dining room.**

**Wouldn't it be better just to go home, dear?" Aunt Petunia suggested**

**timidly, hours later, but Uncle Vernon didn't seem to hear her. Exactly**

**what he was looking for, none of them knew. He drove them into the**

**middle of a forest, got out, looked around, shook his head, got back in**

**the car, and off they went again. The same thing happened in the middle**

**of a plowed field, halfway across a suspension bridge, and at the top of**

**a multilevel parking garage.**

**"Daddy's gone mad, hasn't he?" Dudley asked Aunt Petunia dully late that**

**afternoon. Uncle Vernon had parked at the coast, locked them all inside**

**the car, and disappeared.**

**It started to rain. Great drops beat on the roof of the car. Dudley**

**sniveled.**

**"It's Monday," he told his mother. "The Great Humberto's on tonight. I**

**want to stay somewhere with a television. "Monday. This reminded Harry of something. If it was Monday - and you could usually count on Dudley to know the days the week, because of television - then tomorrow, Tuesday, was Harry's eleventh birthday. Of course, his birthdays were never exactly fun - last year, the Dursleys had given him a coat hanger and a pair of Uncle Vernon's old socks. Still, you weren't eleven every day.**

**"Don't worry dear, we will make sure you have a great birthday this time" said Molly sweetly to Harry. Harry felt his inside warm, He was finally going to have a real birthday. He smiled at the red haired witch.**

**Uncle Vernon was back and he was smiling. He was also carrying a long,**

**thin package and didn't answer Aunt Petunia when she asked what he'd**

**bought.**

**"Found the perfect place!" he said. "Come on! Everyone out!"**

**It was very cold outside the car. Uncle Vernon was pointing at what**

**looked like a large rock way out at sea. Perched on top of the rock was**

**the most miserable little shack you could imagine. One thing was**

**certain, there was no television in there.**

**"Storm forecast for tonight!" said Uncle Vernon gleefully, clapping his**

**hands together. "And this gentleman's kindly agreed to lend us his**

**boat!"**

**A toothless old man came ambling up to them, pointing, with a rather**

**wicked grin, at an old rowboat bobbing in the iron-gray water below**

**them.**

**"I've already got us some rations," said Uncle Vernon, "so all aboard!"**

**It was freezing in the boat. Icy sea spray and rain crept down their**

**necks and a chilly wind whipped their faces. After what seemed like**

**hours they reached the rock, where Uncle Vernon, slipping and sliding,**

**led the way to the broken-down house.**

**The inside was horrible; it smelled strongly of seaweed, the wind**

**whistled through the gaps in the wooden walls, and the fireplace was**

**damp and empty. There were only two rooms. Uncle Vernon's rations turned out to be a bag of chips each and four bananas. He tried to start a fire but the empty chip bags just smoked and shriveled up. "Could do with some of those letters now, eh?" he said cheerfully. He was in a very good mood. Obviously he thought nobody stood a chance of reaching them here in a storm to deliver mail. Harry privately agreed, though the thought didn't cheer him up at all.**

**As night fell, the promised storm blew up around them. Spray from the**

**high waves splattered the walls of the hut and a fierce wind rattled the**

**filthy windows. Aunt Petunia found a few moldy blankets in the secondroom and made up a bed for Dudley on the moth-eaten sofa. She and Uncle Vernon went off to the lumpy bed next door, and Harry was left to find the softest bit of floor he could and to curl up under the thinnest, most ragged blanket.**

**The storm raged more and more ferociously as the night went on. Harry**

**couldn't sleep. He shivered and turned over, trying to get comfortable,**

**his stomach rumbling with hunger. Dudley's snores were drowned by the**

**low rolls of thunder that started near midnight. The lighted dial of**

**Dudley's watch, which was dangling over the edge of the sofa on his fat**

**wrist, told Harry he'd be eleven in ten minutes' time. He lay and**

**watched his birthday tick nearer, wondering if the Dursleys would**

**remember at all, wondering where the letter writer was now.**

**Five minutes to go. Harry heard something creak outside. He hoped the**

**roof wasn't going to fall in, although he might be warmer if it did.**

**Four minutes to go. Maybe the house in Privet Drive would be so full of**

**letters when they got back that he'd be able to steal one somehow.**

**Three minutes to go. Was that the sea, slapping hard on the rock like**

**that? And (two minutes to go) what was that funny crunching noise? Was**

**the rock crumbling into the sea?**

**One minute to go and he'd be eleven. Thirty seconds... twenty ... ten...**

**nine - maybe he'd wake Dudley up, just to annoy him - three... two...**

**one...**

**BOOM.**

**The whole shack shivered and Harry sat bolt upright, staring at the**

**door. Someone was outside, knocking to come in**.

"That was the end of the chapter, you may talk now" Amelia said, suddenly ever person in the room moved


	7. Chapter 7

**This is a short one, just to bring in a few new people. hope you enjoy it**

Each person in the room broke into small groups. Each talking excitedly about Harry finally going to Hogwart's. Harry, Ron and Hermione broke away from Prongs,Lilly and Snape. To have a conversation of their own.

Harry, why do you think our children would want to change your future? asked Hermione. Harry looked at the young girl he had only met a few hours ago. He had never had any friends, Dudley wouldn't allow it.

I wish I knew Hermione, I really do Harry replied. Ron was sitting next to them watching the others round the room. He noted his parents deep in conversation with Harry's mum and dad.

what do you reckon they are talking about?. he asked his new friend, it looked pretty serious. He was hoping that Harry could get away from those muggles he lived with, he wouldnt mind sharing his room with him. Harry and Hermione looked over too. Hermione ever logical as she is. Offered an answer

Maybe they are talking about Harry living with his god-father, you know since he was treated pretty badly with his aunt and uncle, I really hope they do let you live somewhere else Harry, I mean your aunt and uncle are pretty horrible people she finished looking at Harry, his cheeks flamed red as he looked at the ground. This was the one part of his life he never wanted anyone to know about. He had always hoped a long lost relative would come and claim him but he had given up hope long ago.

I hope your right he said looking over to his parents.

Meanwhile his parents were talking to Molly and Arthur.

Molly, we really want Harry to have his god-father and Remus in his life, but he will need a mother figure as well. I know it is a lot to ask, but could you please help him. Lilly asked tears in her eyes, she couldn't bare the thought of her baby boy living with out her. But if it saved his life and the lives of her friends she would sacrifice herself a million times over. Molly could see the distress in the young girls eyes. She moved round the table to hug her.

Of course, Lilly. I will always be there for Harry. I am so happy that you trust me enough to help raise your said holding back her own tears.

Prongs watched his girlfriend cry on the shoulder of Molly weasley. He was thanking Merlin for the big heart this woman had. He left the little group and to join his life long friends Remus and Sirius.

Padfoot, Mooney. How you holding up he asked as he got closer, he could only imagine the pain they must have been going through, hearing about his and Lilly's death and the treatment of Harry by the bloody muggles.

How the bloody hell, do you think we are holding up... you and Lil's die and your son is send to live with those bloody people Sirius roared, jerking a thumb to the Dursely's still stuck in their magical cage. Some one had put food inside the cage, Dudley was eyeing it greedily. But his father would smack his hand away every time he reached for it.

The rest of the kids summoned from the present were hovering around the room, not quiet sure were to sit. Neville look very white and scared as he took in all the adults in the room. He settle him self far away from the group possible, hoping to become invisible to everyone, but he couldn't help but look over to the blonde hair girl, who right now was looking out the window of the cottage, staring at the tree blowing lightly in the breeze. A small smile on her face.

Draco Malfoy, on the other hand was looking at every one in the, with both disgust and jealousy. He so wanted to be included in the conversations, but his father teachings prevented him from doing so. He had hoped he could have at least made friends with Harry Potter. Not just because he could use Harry's fame to boost his own standing but because by the way he seemed to be getting on with the blood traitor and the mud-blood. It seem liked he would be a good friend that cared about him and not his father's money. Unlike Pansy, she was the only one he could consider a friend, but she was a silly girl. She was always going on about when the came of age how they would get married and be happy, just like all pure-bloods should do.

Even now the sound of the word pure-blood, made Draco cringe, His mother had once told him that only people with a pure heart and blessed soul were gifted with magic, and this was decided by Merlin long ago. But Men had twisted this to suit their own will. And that is why the dark lord could have ever existed. Draco had always like this idea. But his father had told it was because some people were simply better than others.

He wish his mother and father were here now, so they could see for them selves, he was sure in time his father would see what his own family was missing. The love that was shared by every one room. Apart from him.

She strode carefully over to the men and woman that had brought him here. He tapped the tall one with the red hair on the shoulder. She turned to face him

Draco, did you want something? she asked, her tone was kind and sweet, like she actually cared what he was going to say. His arrogant statement came out like a question

yes, I was hoping you could bring my parents here to, if it was not too much trouble, please he said the please so low, he didn't think she would have heard it, but she did. She smiled at him, he felt an emotion he hadn't felt for a long time. Happy

Sure Draco, why don't you go hang out with Tonks, she is your cousin after all the girl told Draco. He nodded and headed over to the girl with the pink hair.

When he approached she, grabbed his hand and pulled him down onto the seat with him, at first he wanted to scream at the girl, how dare she touch him. But the feeling was in battle with his other feeling of joy, she was family surely it wouldn't hurt to talk to her and allow her this small piece of contact. Soon he was caught in a conversation about his aunt andromeda. Who had never met, she sounded like an extraordinary witch, and a very loving person.

Rose had called over to James, and told him of Malfoy's request. James had agreed and how she was outside summoning the elder Malfoy's and Andromeda. In a bright shimmering haze, the three people appeared. The looked at their surroundings and the woman standing next to them.

Rommie Narcissa breathed. Her hand flew to cup her throat Narcissa Black had missed her sister, ever since she had married Lucius, he had forbidden her to make contact with the mud-blood lover. Andromeda looked at her sister, her heart filled with joy, at the sight. She took a step forward and opened her arms, an offer for her sister to embrace her. Narcissa hesitated for a fraction of a second, the fell into her arms crying openly. Lucius was hit with two very power emotion, rage at his wife acting so lowly of her pure-blood status, and then understanding, because he knew how much Narcissa had given up to become a Malfoy. She had done it against her will. Her mother and father had literally sold her to him.

Rose called for their attention. Rommie, Cissy, and Lucius. I am Rose weasley, I'm a from the future, I'm here with my family and some friends, we want to change the future for the better. Draco is already here, and so is Nymphadora. We want you to join us, but please hold all judgements and remain calm until we have finished reading the books. the Older woman and man nodded and made their way inside.

Rose lead them into the cottage, and introduced then to everyone, Narcissa and Andromeda went over to Draco and Tonks. And soon fell into conversation. Lucius stood on the edge of the room, watching his wife and son, they seemed to be showing all the feelings he had caused them to repress over the years, he noted his wife look a thousand more time beautiful when she smiled, he couldn't believe why, he would forbid this of her. He remained silent about these new thoughts coming into his head.

Dumbledore, watched the whole room, he had hoped that he would find away to recreate and preserve the feeling that we now being shared into the room. And he knew that Tom riddle would destroy this. However the means in which they had all been brought here was extremely dangerous. These six teenagers seem to posse some powerful magic, and the proof was around him even now. He began to devise a new plan for defeating Tom, he hoped the book would provide some insights.

About an hour had passed When Amelia called for the room to gather again.

The seating arrangements were shifting slightly, no longer did everyone stick with their family, everyone was now sitting with friends, old and new.

**do you like what is going on with the characters? is there something you would change? let me know you thoughts, thanks for reading. Valfreya**


	8. Chapter 8

"CHAPTER FOUR THE KEEPER OF THE KEYS" Amelia read

Sirius, shouted "HAGRID" he smiled, and punched he two friends in the arms, the both smiled with him. Harry and the rest of the kids who would soon be going to Hogwarts turned and looked at him, clearly wanting an explaintion. Remus flicked his over to Ameila who nodded.

" Well Hagrid, is the Game-keeper at Hogwarts. He tends the grounds, he is half giant. He is really friendly, and a great friend. Although i wouldn't trust his cooking" Remus explained, he smiled at the meomory of the first time they went down to for tea with him. He put a plate of out scones, he tried to hold his laughter in as Sirius tried to eat one whole and nearly choked. Remus missed his school days, life had been so much easier then. And now he would be responsible for a ten year old boy. He was filled with pride and terror at the idea. He looked at Harry, then to his own son from the future. Teddy looked healthy and happy. But he was sure that was mostly due to the boys mother care. He was also looking for any signs that the boy transformed, at the full moon.

"cool" choursed all the kids

"Mum, why would Hagrid, be coming to see me?" asked Harry, Lilly looked at her son.

"Im not sure darling, it might have something to do with you going to get your school things. At least i hope it is" Lilly looked at Dumbledore, who nodded. Yes it would seem likely he would have asked his friend to collect Harry and make sure he got everything he needed.

**BOOM. They knocked again. Dudley jerked awake. "Where's the cannon?" he**

**said stupidly.**

**There was a crash behind them and Uncle Vernon came skidding into the**

**room. He was holding a rifle in his hands - now they knew what had been**

**in the long, thin package he had brought with them.**

**"Who's there?" he shouted. "I warn you - I'm armed!"**

**There was a pause. Then -**

**SMASH!**

All the kids laughed at this, the was also a calls of Awsome, and thats cool and a very loud YES that came from sirius. Meanwhile all the other adults smiled. The dursely looked horrfied. Dudely glung closer to his mother.

**The door was hit with such force that it swung clean off its hinges and**

**with a deafening crash landed flat on the floor.**

**A giant of a man was standing in the doorway. His face was almost**

**completely hidden by a long, shaggy mane of hair and a wild, tangled**

**beard, but you could make out his eyes, glinting like black beetles**

**under all the hair.**

**The giant squeezed his way into the hut, stooping so that his head just**

**brushed the ceiling. He bent down, picked up the door, and fitted it**

**easily back into its frame. The noise of the storm outside dropped a**

**little. He turned to look at them all.**

**"Couldn't make us a cup o' tea, could yeh? It's not been an easy**

**journey..."**

McGonagall shook her head and smiled, she genuienally liked Hagrid, this was so typical of him

**He strode over to the sofa where Dudley sat frozen with fear.**

**"Budge up, yeh great lump," said the stranger.**

**Dudley squeaked and ran to hide behind his mother, who was crouching,**

**terrified, behind Uncle Vernon.**

**"An' here's Harry!" said the giant.**

**Harry looked up into the fierce, wild, shadowy face and saw that the**

**beetle eyes were crinkled in a smile.**

**"Las' time I saw you, you was only a baby," said the giant. "Yeh look a**

**lot like yet dad, but yeh've got yet mom's eyes."**

Harry stole a glance at his parents, he had alwasy liked his eyes. And now he knew where they came from. He was so pleased. That something of his parents had survived in him. Ron and Hermione both smiled an nodded to him to confrim it was true. All three of them smiled. Lilly and Prongs watched them. And felt a little bit of piece creep in, their son would have friends, who truely cared for him.

**Uncle Vernon made a funny rasping noise.**

**I demand that you leave at once, sir!" he said. "You are breaking and**

**entering!"**

**"Ah, shut up, Dursley, yeh great prune," said the giant; he reached over**

**the back of the sofa, jerked the gun out of Uncle Vernon's hands, bent**

**it into a knot as easily as if it had been made of rubber, and threw it**

**into a corner of the room.**

**Uncle Vernon made another funny noise, like a mouse being trodden on.**

**"Anyway - Harry," said the giant, turning his back on the Dursleys, "a**

**very happy birthday to yeh. Got summat fer yeh here - I mighta sat on**

**it at some point, but it'll taste all right."**

**From an inside pocket of his black overcoat he pulled a slightly**

**squashed box. Harry opened it with trembling fingers. Inside was a**

**large, sticky chocolate cake with Happy Birthday Harry written on it in**

**green icing.**

**Harry looked up at the giant. He meant to say thank you, but the words**

**got lost on the way to his mouth, and what he said instead was, "Who are**

**you?"The giant chuckled.**

**"True, I haven't introduced meself. Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and**

**Grounds at Hogwarts."**

**He held out an enormous hand and shook Harry's whole arm.**

**"What about that tea then, eh?" he said, rubbing his hands together.**

**"I'd not say no ter summat stronger if yeh've got it, mind."**

**His eyes fell on the empty grate with the shriveled chip bags in it and**

**he snorted. He bent down over the fireplace; they couldn't see what he**

**was doing but when he drew back a second later, there was a roaring fire**

**there. It filled the whole damp hut with flickering light and Harry felt**

**the warmth wash over him as though he'd sunk into a hot bath.**

**The giant sat back down on the sofa, which sagged under his weight, and**

**began taking all sorts of things out of the pockets of his coat: a**

**copper kettle, a squashy package of sausages, a poker, a teapot, several**

**chipped mugs, and a bottle of some amber liquid that he took a swig from**

**before starting to make tea. Soon the hut was full of the sound and**

**smell of sizzling sausage. Nobody said a thing while the giant was**

**working, but as he slid the first six fat, juicy, slightly burnt sausages from the poker, Dudley fidgeted a little. Uncle Vernon said sharply, "Don't touch anything he gives you, Dudley."**

**The giant chuckled darkly.**

**"Yet great puddin' of a son don' need fattenin' anymore, Dursley, don'**

**worry."**

**He passed the sausages to Harry, who was so hungry he had never tasted**

**anything so wonderful, but he still couldn't take his eyes off the**

**giant. Finally, as nobody seemed about to explain anything, he said,**

**"I'm sorry, but I still don't really know who you are."**

**The giant took a gulp of tea and wiped his mouth with the back of his**

**hand.**

**"Call me Hagrid," he said, "everyone does. An' like I told yeh, I'm**

**Keeper of Keys at Hogwarts - yeh'll know all about Hogwarts, o' course.**

**"Er - no," said Harry.**

**Hagrid looked shocked.**

**"Sorry," Harry said quickly.**

**"Sorry?" barked Hagrid, turning to stare at the Dursleys, who shrank back**

**into the shadows. "It' s them as should be sorry! I knew yeh weren't**

**gettin' yer letters but I never thought yeh wouldn't even know abou'**

**Hogwarts, fer cryin' out loud! Did yeh never wonder where yet parents**

**learned it all?"**

**"All what?" asked Harry.**

**"ALL WHAT?" Hagrid thundered. "Now wait jus' one second!"**

**He had leapt to his feet. In his anger he seemed to fill the whole hut.**

**The Dursleys were cowering against the wall.**

**"Do you mean ter tell me," he growled at the Dursleys, "that this boy -**

**this boy! - knows nothin' abou' - about ANYTHING?"**

Nearly every face in the room turned to glare at the Dursely's still trapped in their magical cage. Each person was having their own reaction to this news

Lilly got up and walked over to the cage she moved her hand to her wand to removed the cage, but it wouldn't budge, she turned her eye to her gran-daughter with a slient plea for her help, Lilly Luna got up to stand next to her Gran mother. Together in perfect sync they removed the cage.

They heard Prong commemt " amazing arent they. Thats my girls" they heard a quiet laugh and sirius reply " yeah mate, wouldn't want to piss them off though" and a few more snickers round the room.

Both Lilly's pointed their wands at the Dursely's Lilly Luna watcher her gran-mother look at Petunia the woman looked white, and the fear on her face was radiating off her.

"you never told my son, what he was?" she asked coldly, the other woman shook her head.

"you treated my son so badly because of who he is, and where he came from" is wasnt a question but a statement. Petunia nodded.

"Why? Lilly asked, he voice held pure rage now. The other woman just looked at her sister, but didnt speak. Lilly moved to slap her sister. When Severus moved quickly to her side.

" Lilly, dont, allow me" he said. Petunia looked perterifed. She wondered breifly if this man she had tried so hard to forget would actually hit her.

Snape, lower his eye to meet hers, and porbed her mind. He wondered through her memories. Seeing hiself and Lilly as children. He read her feelings about her sister. The pain, angery and jealously. And the resentment she felt for Harry. Snaped pulled back out of her mind.

Lilly looked him expectantly.

"she is jealous, she wanted to be magical, she missed you when you left to go to school, she felt like she lost her sister they day your letter came. Harry reminders her of all that pain, over the years she turned bitter, when Harry was left on her door step, it opened all her old wounds" Snape explained

He then turned to Dumbledore "Headmaster, it should be noted with the minstrey, she is a squib, and so is her son." Lilly looked like she was going to fall to her knees, Snape put his arms round her, and gently pulled back to the seat he was sharing with her and her husband. Prongs looked at Snape and nodded. It was the most civial thing Jamse Potter had ever done to Severus. While Snape was taking her Grand-mother bck to her seat, Lilly-Luna cast the charm back round the Dursely's giving them a death glare. She sat with her brother who then wrapped his arm round her.

**Harry thought this was going a bit far. He had been to school, after**

**all, and his marks weren't bad.**

**"I know some things," he said. "I can, you know, do math and stuff." But**

**Hagrid simply waved his hand and said, "About our world, I mean. Your**

**world. My world. Yer parents' world."**

**"**

**What world?"**

**Hagrid looked as if he was about to explode.**

**"DURSLEY!" he boomed.**

**Uncle Vernon, who had gone very pale, whispered something that sounded**

**like "Mimblewimble." Hagrid stared wildly at Harry.**

**"But yeh must know about yet mom and dad," he said. "I mean, they're**

**famous. You're famous."**

**"**

**What? My - my mom and dad weren't famous, were they?"**

**"Yeh don' know... yeh don' know..." Hagrid ran his fingers through his**

**hair, fixing Harry with a bewildered stare.**

**"Yeh don' know what yeh are?" he said finally.**

**Uncle Vernon suddenly found his voice.**

**"Stop!" he commanded. "Stop right there, sit! I forbid you to tell the**

**boy anything!"**

**A braver man than Vernon Dursley would have quailed under the furious**

**look Hagrid now gave him; when Hagrid spoke, his every syllable trembled**

**with rage.**

**"You never told him? Never told him what was in the letter Dumbledore**

**left fer him? I was there! I saw Dumbledore leave it, Dursley! An'**

**you've kept it from him all these years?"**

**"Kept what from me?" said Harry eagerly.**

**"STOP! I FORBID YOU!" yelled Uncle Vernon in panic.**

**Aunt Petunia gave a gasp of horror.**

**"Ah, go boil yer heads, both of yeh," said Hagrid. "Harry - yet a**

**wizard."**

**There was silence inside the hut. Only the sea and the whistling wind**

**could be heard.**

**"- a what?" gasped Harry.**

**"A wizard, o' course," said Hagrid, sitting back down on the sofa, which**

**groaned and sank even lower, "an' a thumpin' good'un, I'd say, once**

**yeh've been trained up a bit. With a mum an' dad like yours, what else**

**would yeh be? An' I reckon it's abou' time yeh read yer letter."**

**Harry stretched out his hand at last to take the yellowish envelope,**

**addressed in emerald green to **

**Mr. H. Potter, The Floor, Hut-on-the-Rock,**

**The Sea. He pulled out the letter and read:**

**HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY**

**Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE**

**(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme**

**Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)**

**Dear Mr. Potter,**

**We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts**

**School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all**

**necessary books and equipment.**

**Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.**

**Yours sincerely,**

**Minerva McGonagall,**

**Deputy Headmistress**

**Questions exploded inside Harry's head like fireworks and he couldn't**

**decide which to ask first. After a few minutes he stammered, "What does**

**it mean, they await my owl?"**

**"Gallopin' Gorgons, that reminds me," said Hagrid, clapping a hand to**

**his forehead with enough force to knock over a cart horse, and from yet**

**another pocket inside his overcoat he pulled an owl - a real, live,**

**rather ruffled-looking owl - a long quill, and a roll of parchment.**

**With his tongue between his teeth he scribbled a note that Harry could**

**read upside down:**

**Dear Professor Dumbledore,**

**Given Harry his letter.**

**Taking him to buy his things tomorrow.**

**Weather's horrible. Hope you're Well.**

**Hagrid**

**Hagrid rolled up the note, gave it to the owl, which clamped it in its**

**beak, went to the door, and threw the owl out into the storm. Then he**

**came back and sat down as though this was as normal as talking on the**

**telephone.**

**Harry realized his mouth was open and closed it quickly.**

**"Where was I?" said Hagrid, but at that moment, Uncle Vernon, still**

**ashen-faced but looking very angry, moved into the firelight.**

**"He's not going," he said.**

**Hagrid grunted.**

**"I'd like ter see a great Muggle like you stop him," he said.**

**"A what?" said Harry, interested.**

**"A Muggle," said Hagrid, "it's what we call nonmagic folk like thern.**

**An' it's your bad luck you grew up in a family o' the biggest Muggles I**

**ever laid eyes on."**

**"We swore when we took him in we'd put a stop to that rubbish," said**

**Uncle Vernon, "swore we'd stamp it out of him! Wizard indeed!"**

**"You knew?" said Harry. "You knew I'm a - a wizard?"**

**"Knew!" shrieked Aunt Petunia suddenly. "Knew! Of course we knew! How could you not be, my dratted sister being what she was? Oh, she got a**

**letter just like that and disappeared off to that-that school-and came**

**home every vacation with her pockets full of frog spawn, turning teacups**

**into rats. I was the only one who saw her for what she was - a freak!**

**But for my mother and father, oh no, it was Lily this and Lily that,**

**they were proud of having a witch in the family!"**

**She stopped to draw a deep breath and then went ranting on. It seemed**

**she had been wanting to say all this for years.**

**"Then she met that Potter at school and they left and got married and**

**had you, and of course I knew you'd be just the same, just as strange,**

**just as - as - abnormal - and then, if you please, she went and got**

**herself blown up and we got landed with you!"**

**Harry had gone very white. As soon as he found his voice he said, "Blown**

**up? You told me they died in a car crash!"**

**"CAR CRASH!" roared Hagrid, jumping up so angrily that the Dursleys**

**scuttled back to their corner. "How could a car crash kill Lily an'**

**James Potter? It's an outrage! A scandal! Harry Potter not knowin' his**

**own story when every kid in our world knows his name!" "But why? What**

**happened?" Harry asked urgently.**

**The anger faded from Hagrid's face. He looked suddenly anxious.**

**"I never expected this," he said, in a low, worried voice. "I had no**

**idea, when Dumbledore told me there might be trouble gettin' hold of**

**yeh, how much yeh didn't know. Ah, Harry, I don' know if I'm the right**

**person ter tell yeh - but someone 3 s gotta - yeh can't go off ter**

**Hogwarts not knowin'."**

**He threw a dirty look at the Dursleys.**

**"Well, it's best yeh know as much as I can tell yeh - mind, I can't**

**tell yeh everythin', it's a great myst'ry, parts of it..."**

**He sat down, stared into the fire for a few seconds, and then said, "It**

**begins, I suppose, with - with a person called - but it's incredible**

**yeh don't know his name, everyone in our world knows -"**

**"Who? "**

**"Well - I don' like sayin' the name if I can help it. No one does."**

**"Why not?"**

**"Gulpin' gargoyles, Harry, people are still scared. Blimey, this is**

**difficult. See, there was this wizard who went... bad. As bad as you**

**could go. Worse. Worse than worse. His name was..."**

**Hagrid gulped, but no words came out.**

**"Could you write it down?" Harry suggested.**

**"Nah -can't spell it. All right - Voldemort. " Hagrid shuddered. "Don'**

**make me say it again. Anyway, this - this wizard, about twenty years**

**ago now, started lookin' fer followers. Got 'em, too - some were**

**afraid, some just wanted a bit o' his power, 'cause he was gettin'**

**himself power, all right. Dark days, Harry. Didn't know who ter trust,**

**didn't dare get friendly with strange wizards or witches... terrible**

**things happened. He was takin' over. 'Course, some stood up to him -**

**an' he killed 'em. Horribly. One o' the only safe places left was**

**Hogwarts. Reckon Dumbledore's the only one You-Know-Who was afraid of.**

**Didn't dare try takin' the school, not jus' then, anyway.**

**"Now, yer mum an' dad were as good a witch an' wizard as I ever knew.**

**Head boy an' girl at Hogwarts in their day! Suppose the myst'ry is why**

**You-Know-Who never tried to get 'em on his side before... probably knew**

**they were too close ter Dumbledore ter want anythin' ter do with the**

**Dark Side.**

**"Maybe he thought he could persuade 'em... maybe he just wanted 'em**

**outta the way. All anyone knows is, he turned up in the village where**

**you was all living, on Halloween ten years ago. You was just a year old.**

**He came ter yer house an' - an' -"**

**Hagrid suddenly pulled out a very dirty, spotted handkerchief and blew**

**his nose with a sound like a foghorn.**

**"Sorry," he said. "But it's that sad - knew yer mum an' dad, an' nicer**

**people yeh couldn't find - anyway..."**

**"You-Know-Who killed 'em. An' then - an' this is the real myst'ry of**

**the thing - he tried to kill you, too. Wanted ter make a clean job of**

**it, I suppose, or maybe he just liked killin' by then. But he couldn't do it. Never wondered how you got that mark on yer forehead? That was no**

**ordinary cut. That's what yeh get when a Powerful, evil curse touches**

**yeh - took care of yer mum an' dad an' yer house, even - but it didn't**

**work on you, an' that's why yer famous, Harry. No one ever lived after**

**he decided ter kill 'em, no one except you, an' he'd killed some o' the**

**best witches an' wizards of the age - the McKinnons, the Bones, the**

**Prewetts - an' you was only a baby, an' you lived."**

**Something very painful was going on in Harry's mind. As Hagrid's story**

**came to a close, he saw again the blinding flash of green light, more**

**clearly than he had ever remembered it before - and he remembered**

**something else, for the first time in his life: a high, cold, cruel**

**laugh.**

**Hagrid was watching him sadly.**

**"Took yeh from the ruined house myself, on Dumbledore's orders. Brought**

**yeh ter this lot..."**

**"Load of old tosh," said Uncle Vernon. Harry jumped; he had almost**

**forgotten that the Dursleys were there. Uncle Vernon certainly seemed to**

**have got back his courage. He was glaring at Hagrid and his fists were**

**clenched.**

**"Now, you listen here, boy," he snarled, "I accept there's something**

**strange about you, probably nothing a good beating wouldn't have cured**

**- and as for all this about your parents, well, they were weirdos, no**

**denying it, and the world's better off without them in my opinion -**

**asked for all they got, getting mixed up with these wizarding types -**

**just what I expected, always knew they'd come to a sticky end -"**

**But at that moment, Hagrid leapt from the sofa and drew a battered pink**

**umbrella from inside his coat. Pointing this at Uncle Vernon like a**

**sword, he said, "I'm warning you, Dursley -I'm warning you - one more**

**word... "**

**In danger of being speared on the end of an umbrella by a bearded giant,**

**Uncle Vernon's courage failed again; he flattened himself against the**

**wall and fell silent.**

**"That's better," said Hagrid, breathing heavily and sitting back down on**

**the sofa, which this time sagged right down to the , meanwhile, still had questions to ask, hundreds of them.**

**"But what happened to Vol-, sorry - I mean, You-Know-Who?"**

"Do not be afraid to say his name Harry, Fear of a name, only increases fear of the thing itself, this is one of Voldermorts, most powerful tools" Dumbledore explained

The rest of the room shuddered at the sound of Voldermorts name, poor Neville sunk closer to the wall, he had been sitting close to, until Luna put her hand on his. This small piece of comfort was enough to encourage Neville to move closer to the girl. Something about his girl. Made him feel braver than he was.

The Malfoy's had a strange reaction. Although Lucious had been in his inner circle he hadn not enjoyed it. He was in constant fear for his life and that of his wife and son. Draco looked whiter than normal. He reached fro his mothers hand. Tonks curled closer to her mother. Hermione, Ron and Harry shuddered, and almost right away they found two sets of arms round them, Prongs and Lilly pulled all three children onto their laps, and simply held them.

**"Good question, Harry. Disappeared. Vanished. Same night he tried ter**

**kill you. Makes yeh even more famous. That's the biggest myst'ry, see...**

**he was gettin' more an' more powerful - why'd he go?**

**"Some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had enough**

**human left in him to die. Some say he's still out there, bidin' his**

**time, like, but I don' believe it. People who was on his side came back**

**ter ours. Some of 'em came outta kinda trances. Don~ reckon they**

**could've done if he was comin' back.**

**"Most of us reckon he's still out there somewhere but lost his powers.**

**Too weak to carry on. 'Cause somethin' about you finished him, Harry.**

**There was somethin' goin' on that night he hadn't counted on - I dunno**

**what it was, no one does - but somethin' about you stumped him, all**

**right."**

**Hagrid looked at Harry with warmth and respect blazing in his eyes, but**

**Harry, instead of feeling pleased and proud, felt quite sure there had**

**been a horrible mistake. A wizard? Him? How could he possibly be? He'd**

**spent his life being clouted by Dudley, and bullied by Aunt Petunia and**

**Uncle Vernon; if he was really a wizard, why hadn't they been turned**

**into warty toads every time they'd tried to lock him in his cupboard? If**

**he'd once defeated the greatest sorcerer in the world, how come Dudley**

**had always been able to kick him around like a football?**

**"Hagrid," he said quietly, "I think you must have made a mistake. I**

**don't think I can be a wizard."**

**To his surprise, Hagrid chuckled.**

**"Not a wizard, eh? Never made things happen when you was scared or**

**angry?"**

**Harry looked into the fire. Now he came to think about it... every odd**

**thing that had ever made his aunt and uncle furious with him had**

**happened when he, Harry, had been upset or angry... chased by Dudley's**

**gang, he had somehow found himself out of their reach... dreading going**

**to school with that ridiculous haircut, he'd managed to make it grow**

**back... and the very last time Dudley had hit him, hadn't he got his revenge, without even realizing he was doing it? Hadn't he set a boa**

**constrictor on him?**

**Harry looked back at Hagrid, smiling, and saw that Hagrid was positively**

**beaming at him.**

**"See?" said Hagrid. "Harry Potter, not a wizard - you wait, you'll be**

**right famous at Hogwarts."**

**But Uncle Vernon wasn't going to give in without a fight.**

**"Haven't I told you he's not going?" he hissed. "He's going to Stonewall**

**High and he'll be grateful for it. I've read those letters and he needs**

**all sorts of rubbish - spell books and wands and -"**

**"If he wants ter go, a great Muggle like you won't stop him," growled**

**Hagrid. "Stop Lily an' James Potter' s son goin' ter Hogwarts! Yer mad.**

**His name's been down ever since he was born. He's off ter the finest**

**school of witchcraft and wizardry in the world. Seven years there and he**

**won't know himself. He'll be with youngsters of his own sort, fer a**

**change, an' he'll be under the greatest headmaster Hogwarts ever had**

**Albus Dumbled-"**

**"I AM NOT PAYING FOR SOME CRACKPOT OLD FOOL To TEACH HIM**

**MAGIC TRICKS!" yelled Uncle Vernon.**

**But he had finally gone too far. Hagrid seized his umbrella and whirled**

**it over his head, "NEVER," he thundered, "- INSULT- ALBUS -DUMBLEDORE IN-FRONT- OF- ME!"**

**He brought the umbrella swishing down through the air to point at Dudley**

**- there was a flash of violet light, a sound like a firecracker, a**

**sharp squeal, and the next second, Dudley was dancing on the spot with**

**his hands clasped over his fat bottom, howling in pain. When he turned**

**his back on them, Harry saw a curly pig's tail poking through a hole in**

**his trousers.**

A few giggles could be heard around the room, Dumbledore's eyes twinked and he shook his head in amusement. He knew Hagrid was loyal to him. But it was nice to hear

**Uncle Vernon roared. Pulling Aunt Petunia and Dudley into the other**

**room, he cast one last terrified look at Hagrid and slammed the door**

**behind them.**

**Hagrid looked down at his umbrella and stroked his beard.**

**"Shouldn'ta lost me temper," he said ruefully, "but it didn't work**

**anyway. Meant ter turn him into a pig, but I suppose he was so much like**

**a pig anyway there wasn't much left ter do."**

**He cast a sideways look at Harry under his bushy eyebrows.**

**"Be grateful if yeh didn't mention that ter anyone at Hogwarts," he**

**said. "I'm - er - not supposed ter do magic, strictly speakin'. I was**

**allowed ter do a bit ter follow yeh an' get yer letters to yeh an' stuff**

**- one o' the reasons I was so keen ter take on the job**

**"Why aren't you supposed to do magic?" asked Harry.**

**"Oh, well - I was at Hogwarts meself but I - er - got expelled, ter**

**tell yeh the truth. In me third year. They snapped me wand in half an'**

**everything. But Dumbledore let me stay on as gamekeeper. Great man,**

**Dumbledore." "Why were you expelled?"**

**"It's gettin' late and we've got lots ter do tomorrow," said Hagrid**

**loudly. "Gotta get up ter town, get all yer books an' that."**

**He took off his thick black coat and threw it to Harry.**

**"You can kip under that," he said. "Don' mind if it wriggles a bit, I**

**think I still got a couple o' dormice in one o' the pockets."**

"That is the end of the chapter" Amelia said with relief. She didnt want to hear anymore about, the death of her child and his wife.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter nine.

Most people in the room wanted to get over the misery they had heard in the last chapter.

No one wanted to relive the memory of Lilly and James death. No one wanted to hear how nearly everyone in that room had failed Harry potter in one way for another. Everyone wanted to move onto happier times. Hearing about Harry at Hogwarts, in the world he belonged in.

Harry himself wanted to hear about the school he would be going to soon.

He also wanted to know just how famous he was going to be, he hated any form of attention. But he had a feeling this was going to get a lot worse before it got better. Ron and Hermione were interested in seeing how they met in the books. Ron was worried he would again be out shined by his older brothers, as he had been his whole life. And Hermione was nearly having a panic attack, she was going to a school she nothing about, she wondered how she got on, would she fail? Her breathing sped up, and she felt the prickly heat. Lilly looked at the girl sitting on her lap.

"Hermione, are you OK?" she asked kindly, Hermione shook her head, Lilly ran her hand soothingly over her hair.

"Mrs Potter, What if I'm not very good at being a witch? What if I fail?" she asked, tears were starting to fall from her eyes. Lilly felt a rush of pride as she was called Mrs potter, she like the way it sounded. Prongs smiled, hearing Lilly be addressed as his wife. Made him feel ten feet taller. Lilly hugged the girl closer to her, and ignored every other person in the room.

"Hermione, just because you are a muggle-born, doesn't mean anything, you are a witch. No matter what grades you get on your owl, and Newts. The wizarding world is your world too, and you belong there. And if you study hard, you can achieve anything. When I first got my letter, I was scared I wouldn't fit in, and I would fail too. But I worked very hard to prove myself. You can do the same" Lilly explained hoping to ease the girls fears. Hermione seem pacified for the moment.

Meanwhile Mooney looked over to watch the scene pass between his best friend and the girl. Hermione was going to be one of Harry's best friend. So he would be spending time with this young girl. He was going to be Harry's parent. He was over come with a strange urge to try and help.

"Hermione, would you like some extra help studying, I could tutor, you Harry and Ron, Maybe Neville and Luna would like to join in? Draco you would be welcome too" Mooney threw the offer out there. He hoped the children wouldn't be upset or angry when they discovered what he was.

Hermione lifted her head from Lilly's shoulder, to look at him " Really Mr Lupin, you wouldn't mind. Oh that would be great. Thank you" she smiled brightly at him. Harry watched this interaction. And smiled he would have friends and they would be allowed to see him. He would have a normal life.

"count me in" said Harry. Ron looked like he was going to complain, but he saw his two friends, and nodded at Lupin too. Neville squeaked out a yes please, Luna smiled dreamily at Lupin and gave a nod too. Draco looked at him mother and father. He would love to spend some time away from the manor, however he wasn't sure if his father would allow it. His mother smiled to say she approved of the idea. His father kept his face smooth, he was in complete confusion, it would be nice to get that dreadful pansy girl away from his son. But he was fighting his beliefs, he didn't want his son round Mud... he stopped that though. He would think this over

" Thank you for the offer, I will discuss this with my wife and son later and let you know" Lucius said trying to keep his voice even. He didn't want to show disgust fro the man. It was hard change your views, and beliefs. He had lived with these all his life.

Mooney nodded, he wasn't sure what to make of Lucius Malfoy's answer he was however interested is it possible that Malfoy could be changing his mind on pure-blood supremacy.

" Mother, could you continue, with the book, I would like to know what happens to my son next" Prongs asked his mother, she smiled and opened the book and read.

**CHAPTER FIVE - DIAGON ALLEY**

**Harry woke early the next morning. Although he could tell it was**

**daylight, he kept his eyes shut tight.**

**"It was a dream, he told himself firmly. "I dreamed a giant called**

**Hagrid came to tell me I was going to a school for wizards. When I open**

**my eyes I'll be at home in my cupboard."**

**There was suddenly a loud tapping noise.**

**And there's Aunt Petunia knocking on the door, Harry thought, his heart**

**sinking. But he still didn't open his eyes. It had been such a good dream.**

**Tap. Tap. Tap.**

**"All right," Harry mumbled, "I'm getting up."**

**He sat up and Hagrid's heavy coat fell off him. The hut was full of**

**sunlight, the storm was over, Hagrid himself was asleep on the collapsed**

**sofa, and there was an owl rapping its claw on the window, a newspaper**

**held in its beak.**

**Harry scrambled to his feet, so happy he felt as though a large balloon**

**was swelling inside him. He went straight to the window and jerked it**

**open. The owl swooped in and dropped the newspaper on top of Hagrid, who**

**didn't wake up. The owl then fluttered onto the floor and began to**

**attack Hagrid's coat.**

**"Don't do that."**

**Harry tried to wave the owl out of the way, but it snapped its beak**

**fiercely at him and carried on savaging the coat.**

**"Hagrid!" said Harry loudly. "There's an owl**

**"Pay him," Hagrid grunted into the sofa.**

**"What?"**

**"He wants payin' fer deliverin' the paper. Look in the pockets."**

**Hagrid's coat seemed to be made of nothing but pockets - bunches of**

**keys, slug pellets, balls of string, peppermint humbugs, teabags...**

**finally, Harry pulled out a handful of strange-looking coins.**

**"Give him five Knuts," said Hagrid sleepily.**

**"Knuts?"**

**"The little bronze ones."**

**Harry counted out five little bronze coins, and the owl held out his leg**

**so Harry could put the money into a small leather pouch tied to it. Then**

**he flew off through the open window.**

**Hagrid yawned loudly, sat up, and stretched.**

**"Best be Off, Harry, lots ter do today, gotta get up ter London an' buy**

**all yer stuff fer school."**

**Harry was turning over the wizard coins and looking at them. He had just**

**thought of something that made him feel as though the happy balloon**

**inside him had got a puncture.**

**"Um - Hagrid?"**

**"Mm?" said Hagrid, who was pulling on his huge boots.**

**"I haven't got any money - and you heard Uncle Vernon last night ... he**

**won't pay for me to go and learn magic."**

**"Don't worry about that," said Hagrid, standing up and scratching his**

**head. "D'yeh think yer parents didn't leave yeh anything?"**

Harry looked to his parents " you left me some money? " he asked shocked

The Vernon's eyes light up, so the boy had money. Hmmm Vernon's mind started working.

"Of course, we left you money. The vault is filled with lots of family treasures. It is your family history son. You will use a trust vault, until you come of age" Prongs explained. Harry nodded. It would seem that Harry could have a good life, he had money and friends, and even someone to look after him. However he would give it all up, to have his parents back with him.

**"But if their house was destroyed -"**

**"They didn' keep their gold in the house, boy! Nah, first stop fer us is**

**Gringotts. Wizards' bank. Have a sausage, they're not bad cold - an' I**

**wouldn' say no teh a bit o' yer birthday cake, neither."**

**"Wizards have banks?"**

**"Just the one. Gringotts. Run by goblins."**

**Harry dropped the bit of sausage he was holding.**

**"Goblins?"**

**"Yeah - so yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it, I'll tell yeh that. Never**

**mess with goblins, Harry. Gringotts is the safest place in the world fer**

**anything yeh want ter keep safe - 'cept maybe Hogwarts. As a matter o'**

**fact, I gotta visit Gringotts anyway. Fer Dumbledore. Hogwarts**

**business." Hagrid drew himself up proudly. "He usually gets me ter do**

**important stuff fer him. Fetchin' you gettin' things from Gringotts -**

**knows he can trust me, see.**

**"Got everythin'? Come on, then."Harry followed Hagrid out onto the rock. The sky was quite clear now and the sea gleamed in the sunlight. The boat Uncle Vernon had hired was still there, with a lot of water in the bottom after the storm.**

**"How did you get here?" Harry asked, looking around for another boat.**

**"Flew," said Hagrid.**

**"Flew?"**

**"Yeah - but we'll go back in this. Not s'pposed ter use magic now I've**

**got yeh."**

**They settled down in the boat, Harry still staring at Hagrid, trying to**

**imagine him flying.**

**"Seems a shame ter row, though," said Hagrid, giving Harry another of**

**his sideways looks. "If I was ter - er - speed things up a bit, would**

**yeh mind not mentionin' it at Hogwarts?"**

**"Of course not," said Harry, eager to see more magic. Hagrid pulled out**

**the pink umbrella again, tapped it twice on the side of the boat, and**

**they sped off toward land.**

**"Why would you be mad to try and rob Gringotts?" Harry asked.**

**"Spells - enchantments," said Hagrid, unfolding his newspaper as he**

**spoke. "They say there's dragons guardin' the highsecurity vaults. And**

**then yeh gotta find yer way - Gringotts is hundreds of miles under**

**London, see. Deep under the Underground. Yeh'd die of hunger tryin' ter**

**get out, even if yeh did manage ter get yer hands on summat."**

**Harry sat and thought about this while Hagrid read his newspaper, the**

**Daily Prophet. Harry had learned from Uncle Vernon that people liked to**

**be left alone while they did this, but it was very difficult, he'd never**

**had so many questions in his life.**

**"Ministry o' Magic messin' things up as usual," Hagrid muttered, turning**

**the page.**

**"There's a Ministry of Magic?" Harry asked, before he could stop**

**himself.**

**"'Course," said Hagrid. "They wanted Dumbledore fer Minister, 0 'course, but he'd never leave Hogwarts, so old Cornelius Fudge got the**

**job. Bungler if ever there was one. So he pelts Dumbledore with owls**

**every morning, askin' fer advice."**

**"But what does a Ministry of Magic do?"**

**"Well, their main job is to keep it from the Muggles that there's still**

**witches an' wizards up an' down the country."**

**"Why?"**

**"Why? Blimey, Harry, everyone'd be wantin' magic solutions to their**

**problems. Nah, we're best left alone."**

**At this moment the boat bumped gently into the harbor wall. Hagrid**

**folded up his newspaper, and they clambered up the stone steps onto the**

**street.**

**Passersby stared a lot at Hagrid as they walked through the little town**

**to the station. Harry couldn't blame them. Not only was Hagrid twice as**

**tall as anyone else, he kept pointing at perfectly ordinary things like**

**parking meters and saying loudly, "See that, Harry? Things these Muggles**

**dream up, eh?"**

**"Hagrid," said Harry, panting a bit as he ran to keep up, "did you say**

**there are dragons at Gringotts?"**

**"Well, so they say," said Hagrid. "Crikey, I'd like a dragon."**

**"You'd like one?"**

**"Wanted one ever since I was a kid - here we go."**

**They had reached the station. There was a train to London in five**

**minutes' time. Hagrid, who didn't understand "Muggle money," as he**

**called it, gave the bills to Harry so he could buy their tickets.**

**People stared more than ever on the train. Hagrid took up two seats and**

**sat knitting what looked like a canary-yellow circus tent.**

**"Still got yer letter, Harry?" he asked as he counted stitches. Harry**

**took the parchment envelope out of his pocket."Good," said Hagrid. "There's a list there of everything yeh need."**

**Harry unfolded a second piece of paper he hadn't noticed the night**

**before, and read:**

**HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY**

**UNIFORM**

**First-year students will require:**

**Three sets of plain work robes (black)**

**One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear**

**One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)**

**4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)**

**Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags**

**COURSE BOOKS**

**All students should have a copy of each of the following:**

**The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk**

**A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot**

**Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling**

**A Beginners' Guide to Transfiguration by Emetic Switch**

**One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore**

**Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger**

**Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander**

**The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble**

**OTHER EQUIPMENT**

**wand **

**cauldron (pewter, standard size 2) set**

**glass or crystal phials**

**telescope set**

**brass scales**

**Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad**

**PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED**

**THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS.****  
**

**"Can we buy all this in London?" Harry wondered aloud.**

**"If yeh know where to go," said Hagrid.**

**Harry had never been to London before. Although Hagrid seemed to know**

**where he was going, he was obviously not used to getting there in an**

**ordinary way. He got stuck in the ticket barrier on the Underground, and**

**complained loudly that the seats were too small and the trains too slow.**

**"I don't know how the Muggles manage without magic," he said as they**

**climbed a broken-down escalator that led up to a bustling road lined**

**with shops.**

**Hagrid was so huge that he parted the crowd easily; all Harry had to do**

**was keep close behind him. They passed book shops and music stores,**

**hamburger restaurants and cinemas, but nowhere that looked as if it**

**could sell you a magic wand. This was just an ordinary street full of**

**ordinary people. Could there really be piles of wizard gold buried miles**

**beneath them? Were there really shops that sold spell books and**

**broomsticks? Might this not all be some huge joke that the Dursleys had**

**cooked up? If Harry hadn't known that the Dursleys had no sense of**

**humor, he might have thought so; yet somehow, even though everything**

**Hagrid had told him so far was unbelievable, Harry couldn't help**

**trusting him.**

**"This is it," said Hagrid, coming to a halt, "the Leaky Cauldron. It's a**

**famous place."**

**It was a tiny, grubby-looking pub. If Hagrid hadn't pointed it out.**

**Harry wouldn't have noticed it was there. The people hurrying by didn't**

**glance at it. Their eyes slid from the big book shop on one side to the**

**record shop on the other as if they couldn't see the Leaky Cauldron at**

**all. In fact, Harry had the most peculiar feeling that only he and**

**Hagrid could see it. Before he could mention this, Hagrid had steered**

**him inside.**

**For a famous place, it was very dark and shabby. A few old women were**

**sitting in a corner, drinking tiny glasses of sherry. One of them was**

**smoking a long pipe. A little man in a top hat was talking to the old**

**bartender, who was quite bald and looked like a toothless walnut. The**

**low buzz of chatter stopped when they walked in. Everyone seemed to know**

**Hagrid; they waved and smiled at him, and the bartender reached for a**

**glass, saying, "The usual, Hagrid?"**

**"Can't, Tom, I'm on Hogwarts business," said Hagrid, clapping his great**

**hand on Harry's shoulder and making Harry's knees buckle.**

**"Good Lord," said the bartender, peering at Harry, "is this - can this**

**be -?"**

**The Leaky Cauldron had suddenly gone completely still and silent.**

**"Bless my soul," whispered the old bartender, "Harry Potter... what an**

**honor."**

**He hurried out from behind the bar, rushed toward Harry and seized his**

**hand, tears in his eyes.**

**"Welcome back, Mr. Potter, welcome back."**

**Harry didn't know what to say. Everyone was looking at him. The old**

**woman with the pipe was puffing on it without realizing it had gone out.**

**Hagrid was beaming.**

**Then there was a great scraping of chairs and the next moment, Harry**

**found himself shaking hands with everyone in the Leaky Cauldron.**

**"Doris Crockford, Mr. Potter, can't believe I'm meeting you at last."**

**"So proud, Mr. Potter, I'm just so proud.","Always wanted to shake your hand - I'm all of a flutter."**

**"Delighted, Mr. Potter, just can't tell you, Diggle's the name, Dedalus**

**Diggle."**

**"I've seen you before!" said Harry, as Dedalus Diggle's top hat fell off**

**in his excitement. "You bowed to me once in a shop."**

**"He remembers!" cried Dedalus Diggle, looking around at everyone. "Did**

**you hear that? He remembers me!" Harry shook hands again and again -**

**Doris Crockford kept coming back for more.**

**A pale young man made his way forward, very nervously. One of his eyes**

**was twitching.**

**"Professor Quirrell!" said Hagrid. "Harry, Professor Quirrell will be**

**one of your teachers at Hogwarts."**

**"P-P-Potter," stammered Professor Quirrell, grasping Harry's hand,**

**"c-can't t-tell you how p- pleased I am to meet you."**

**"What sort of magic do you teach, Professor Quirrell?"**

**"D-Defense Against the D-D-Dark Arts," muttered Professor Quirrell, as**

**though he'd rather not think about it. "N-not that you n-need it, eh,**

**P-P-Potter?" He laughed nervously. "You'll be g-getting all your**

**equipment, I suppose? I've g-got to p-pick up a new b-book on vampires,**

**m-myself." He looked terrified at the very thought.**

**But the others wouldn't let Professor Quirrell keep Harry to himself. It**

**took almost ten minutes to get away from them all. At last, Hagrid**

**managed to make himself heard over the babble.**

**"Must get on - lots ter buy. Come on, Harry."**

**Doris Crockford shook Harry's hand one last time, and Hagrid led them**

**through the bar and out into a small, walled courtyard, where there was**

**nothing but a trash can and a few weeds.**

**Hagrid grinned at Harry.**

**"Told yeh, didn't I? Told yeh you was famous. Even Professor Quirrell**

Harry, put his head down, his cheeks were crimson. He was going to hate this, everyone in this new world would know him and his whole life story. Before him. He was going to get looks of pity and sympathy. He just wanted to be a normal boy. He didn't want all the attention. He tried to hide into his father chest.

**was tremblin' ter meet yeh - mind you, he's usually tremblin'."**

**"Is he always that nervous?"**

**"Oh, yeah. Poor bloke. Brilliant mind. He was fine while he was**

**studyin' outta books but then he took a year off ter get some firsthand**

**experience... They say he met vampires in the Black Forest, and there**

**was a nasty bit o' trouble with a hag - never been the same since.**

**Scared of the students, scared of his own subject now, where's me**

**umbrella?"**

**Vampires? Hags? Harry's head was swimming. Hagrid, meanwhile, was**

**counting bricks in the wall above the trash can.**

**"Three up... two across he muttered. "Right, stand back, Harry."**

**He tapped the wall three times with the point of his umbrella.**

**The brick he had touched quivered - it wriggled - in the middle, a**

**small hole appeared - it grew wider and wider - a second later they**

**were facing an archway large enough even for Hagrid, an archway onto a**

**cobbled street that twisted and turned out of sight.**

**"Welcome," said Hagrid, "to Diagon Alley."**

**He grinned at Harry's amazement. They stepped through the archway. Harry**

**looked quickly over his shoulder and saw the archway shrink instantly**

**back into solid wall.**

**The sun shone brightly on a stack of cauldrons outside the nearest shop.**

**Cauldrons - All Sizes - Copper, Brass, Pewter, Silver - Self-Stirring**

**- Collapsible, said a sign hanging over them.**

**"Yeah, you'll be needin' one," said Hagrid, "but we gotta get yer money**

**first."**

**Harry wished he had about eight more eyes. He turned his head in every**

**direction as they walked up the street, trying to look at everything at**

**once: the shops, the things outside them, the people doing their**

**shopping. A plump woman outside an Apothecary was shaking her head as**

**they passed, saying, "Dragon liver, seventeen Sickles an ounce, they're**

**mad..."  
**

**A low, soft hooting came from a dark shop with a sign saying Eeylops Owl**

**Emporium - Tawny, Screech, Barn, Brown, and Snowy. Several boys of**

**about Harry's age had their noses pressed against a window with**

**broomsticks in it. "Look," Harry heard one of them say, "the new Nimbus**

**Two Thousand - fastest ever -" There were shops selling robes, shops**

**selling telescopes and strange silver instruments Harry had never seen**

**before, windows stacked with barrels of bat spleens and eels' eyes,**

**tottering piles of spell books, quills, and rolls of parchment, potion**

**bottles, globes of the moon...**

**"Gringotts," said Hagrid.**

**They had reached a snowy white building that towered over the other**

**little shops. Standing beside its burnished bronze doors, wearing a**

**uniform of scarlet and gold, was -**

**"Yeah, that's a goblin," said Hagrid quietly as they walked up the white**

**stone steps toward him. The goblin was about a head shorter than Harry.**

**He had a swarthy, clever face, a pointed beard and, Harry noticed, very**

**long fingers and feet. He bowed as they walked inside. Now they were**

**facing a second pair of doors, silver this time, with words engraved**

**upon them:**

**Enter, stranger, but take heed**

**Of what awaits the sin of greed,**

**For those who take, but do not earn,**

**Must pay most dearly in their turn.**

**So if you seek beneath our floors**

**A treasure that was never yours,**

**Thief, you have been warned, beware**

**Of finding more than treasure there.**

**"Like I said, Yeh'd be mad ter try an' rob it," said Hagrid.**

Suddenly, 7 laughs rang throughout the room. All present, turned to face the 7 kids from the future.

"Care to explain what is so funny" Asked Snape, a little annoyed. Snape remembered his first trip to Diagon Alley. He was just as caught up with all the shops. He could understand why Harry was feeling like this.

All the future kids, shook their heads. " it will be explained later" said Albus trying to control his laughter.

**A pair of goblins bowed them through the silver doors and they were in **a**vast marble hall. About a hundred more goblins were sitting on high**

**stools behind a long counter, scribbling in large ledgers, weighing**

**coins in brass scales, examining precious stones through eyeglasses.**

**There were too many doors to count leading off the hall, and yet more**

**goblins were showing people in and out of these. Hagrid and Harry made**

**for the counter.**

**"Morning," said Hagrid to a free goblin. "We've come ter take some money**

**outta Mr. Harry Potter's safe."**

**"You have his key, Sir?"**

**"Got it here somewhere," said Hagrid, and he started emptying his**

**pockets onto the counter, scattering a handful of moldy dog biscuits**

**over the goblin's book of numbers. The goblin wrinkled his nose. Harry**

**watched the goblin on their right weighing a pile of rubies as big as**

**glowing coals.**

**"Got it," said Hagrid at last, holding up a tiny golden key.**

**The goblin looked at it closely.**

**"That seems to be in order."**

**"An' I've also got a letter here from Professor Dumbledore," said Hagrid**

**importantly, throwing out his chest. "It's about the YouKnow-What in**

**vault seven hundred and thirteen."**

**The goblin read the letter carefully.**

**"Very well," he said, handing it back to Hagrid, "I will have Someone**

**take you down to both vaults. Griphook!"**

**Griphook was yet another goblin. Once Hagrid had crammed all the dog**

**biscuits back inside his pockets, he and Harry followed Griphook toward**

**one of the doors leading off the hall.**

**"What's the You-Know-What in vault seven hundred and thirteen?" Harry**

**asked.**

**"Can't tell yeh that," said Hagrid mysteriously. "Very secret. Hogwarts**

**business. Dumbledore's trusted me. More'n my job's worth ter tell yeh**

**that."**

All eyes turned to Dumbledore, quicker mind had started putting together what Hagrid was collecting. Remus, Hermione and Lilly. All shared a look and smile.

"what are you three smiling at?" asked Sirius. He was annoyed at this little mystery.

"c'mon padfoot, surely, you know what is going on?" said Remus smiling at his ever dumbstruck friend. Sirius shook his head in annoyance.

**Griphook held the door open for them. Harry, who had expected more**

**marble, was surprised. They were in a narrow stone passageway lit with**

**flaming torches. It sloped steeply downward and there were little**

**railway tracks on the floor. Griphook whistled and a small cart came**

**hurtling up the tracks toward them. They climbed in - Hagrid with some**

**difficulty - and were off.**

**At first they just hurtled through a maze of twisting passages. Harry**

**tried to remember, left, right, right, left, middle fork, right, left,**

**but it was impossible. The rattling cart seemed to know its own way,**

**because Griphook wasn't steering.**

**Harry's eyes stung as the cold air rushed past them, but he kept them**

**wide open. Once, he thought he saw a burst of fire at the end of a**

**passage and twisted around to see if it was a dragon, but too late - -**

**they plunged even deeper, passing an underground lake where huge**

**stalactites and stalagmites grew from the ceiling and floor.**

**I never know," Harry called to Hagrid over the noise of the cart,**

**"what's the difference between a stalagmite and a stalactite?"**

**"Stalagmite's got an 'm' in it," said Hagrid. "An' don' ask me questions**

**just now, I think I'm gonna be sick."**

**He did look very green, and when the cart stopped at last beside a small**

**door in the passage wall, Hagrid got out and had to lean against the**

**wall to stop his knees from trembling.**

**Griphook unlocked the door. A lot of green smoke came billowing out, and**

**as it cleared, Harry gasped. Inside were mounds of gold coins. Columns**

**of silver. Heaps of little bronze Knuts.**

**"All yours," smiled Hagrid.**

**All Harry's - it was incredible. The Dursleys couldn't have known about**

**this or they'd have had it from him faster than blinking. How often had**

**they complained how much Harry cost them to keep? And all the time there**

**had been a small fortune belonging to him, buried deep under London.**

**Hagrid helped Harry pile some of it into a bag.**

Lilly turned her eyes to Petuina and Vernon. She read the look on her brother in laws face

"if you even so much as try and get that money, you will suffer greatly, that money is Harry's" she growled.

Petunia had the good sense to say quiet. However Vernon not sensing the danger opened his mouth

"we are entitled to compensation for looking after the boy, we fed him and clothed his since he was a baby. Besides they has another vault, so he will just hand over the money in that one" Vernon said giving the boy a death glare, Harry knew this look well. It meant he was in big trouble. He cowered closer to his father.

There were cries of outrage, from everyone in the room. Even the Malfoy's were enraged at these filthy muggles. How dare they try and steal from a wizard. To think that blood relatives of the boy would stoop so low.

Padfoot was shaking violently he moved off the couch, and found a open space. Harry moved to go to his side, he felt and odd connection to his god-father. But padfoot shook his head, harry stayed put. Padfoot started to crouch forward. Then in place of the man, the was a massive black shaggy dog.

There shocked gasps around the room, McGongall was the loudest of them all. The massive black dog stalked toward Vernon, growling and snapping his huge jaws.

Harry was both over the moon that someone was defending him, but scared that someone would get hurt, as much as he hated his aunt and uncle he didn't want then getting bite by his god-father. Prongs seeming to sense his son discomfort, he quickly jumped up and transformed into a huge stag, that stood between Sirius and the muggles. The stag nodded his head to the door. Both turned and began moving in the direction. Rose jumped followed quickly. She extended the boundary slightly, " don't go past the massive oak in the clearing." she warned. Then cam back inside.

Back in the cottage, the assembled group, we still expressing the various levels of rage.

Amelia, called a short break. She grabbed her great grand-children. She pulled them into the kitchen. She paced a few times.

"why did you bring those awful people here?" she asked controlling her temper, the potters were known for having particularly bad tempers. She didn't want to lose in front of her family but this was getting difficult to read.

Albus stepped forward "they needed to see what life was like for dad, we hopped that not only could we change dads future, but we hopped to get through to Dudley, he and dad. Started talking after the war ended, but it was too late by then. Dudley ends up with cancer, dad got special permission from Kingsley to give him potions and such, but they did no good. Dudley died about four months, after he made peace with dad. Dad felt awful, and said he wished he had a better relationship with him." Al explained all this to his grand-mother.

She thought this over, well she would just have to take matter into her own hands then.

"very well" she said calmly.

They all went back into the living room, the roar was loud, may different voice were commenting on the disgraceful behaviour coming from the muggles. Amelia send spark out from the wand she produced, the whole room settled and turned to her.

"everyone take a seat, and we will get back to reading just shortly" she ordered everyone, everyone began slowly taking their seats. She walked over to the muggles

"this is for your own good" she said, then she waved her wand and muttered a spell Vernon opened his move to complain, but found he couldn't speak. A little more time passed, when her son and the boy she though of as son returned much calmer than they had been.

Amelia picked up the book and carried on reading

**"The gold ones are Galleons," he explained. "Seventeen silver Sickles to****a Galleon and twenty-nine Knuts to a Sickle, it's easy enough. Right,**

**that should be enough fer a couple o' terms, we'll keep the rest safe**

**for yeh." He turned to Griphook. "Vault seven hundred and thirteen now,**

**please, and can we go more slowly?"**

**"One speed only," said Griphook.**

**They were going even deeper now and gathering speed. The air became**

**colder and colder as they hurtled round tight corners. They went**

**rattling over an underground ravine, and Harry leaned over the side to**

**try to see what was down at the dark bottom, but Hagrid groaned and**

**pulled him back by the scruff of his neck.**

**Vault seven hundred and thirteen had no keyhole.**

**"Stand back," said Griphook importantly. He stroked the door gently with**

**one of his long fingers and it simply melted away.**

**"If anyone but a Gringotts goblin tried that, they'd be sucked through**

**the door and trapped in there," said Griphook.**

**"How often do you check to see if anyone's inside?" Harry asked.**

**"About once every ten years," said Griphook with a rather nasty grin.**

**Something really extraordinary had to be inside this top security vault,**

**Harry was sure, and he leaned forward eagerly, expecting to see fabulous**

**jewels at the very least - but at first he thought it was empty. Then**

**he noticed a grubby little package wrapped up in brown paper lying on**

**the floor. Hagrid picked it up and tucked it deep inside his coat. Harry**

**longed to know what it was, but knew better than to ask.**

**"Come on, back in this infernal cart, and don't talk to me on the way**

**back, it's best if I keep me mouth shut," said Hagrid.**

**One wild cart ride later they stood blinking in the sunlight outside**

**Gringotts. Harry didn't know where to run first now that he had a bag**

**full of money. He didn't have to know how many Galleons there were to a**

**pound to know that he was holding more money than he'd had in his whole**

**life - more money than even Dudley had ever had.**

**"Might as well get yer uniform," said Hagrid, nodding toward Madam ****Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. "Listen, Harry, would yeh mind if I ****slipped off fer a pick-me-up in the Leaky Cauldron? I hate them Gringotts carts." He did still look a bit sick, so Harry entered Madam Malkin's shop alone, feeling nervous.**

**Madam Malkin was a squat, smiling witch dressed all in mauve.**

**"Hogwarts, dear?" she said, when Harry started to speak. "Got the lot**

**here - another young man being fitted up just now, in fact. "**

**In the back of the shop, a boy with a pale, pointed face was standing on**

**a footstool while a second witch pinned up his long black robes. Madam**

**Malkin stood Harry on a stool next to him) slipped a long robe over his**

**head, and began to pin it to the right length.**

**"Hello," said the boy, "Hogwarts, too?"**

**"Yes," said Harry.**

**"My father's next door buying my books and mother's up the street**

**looking at wands," said the boy. He had a bored, drawling voice. "Then**

**I'm going to drag them off to took at racing brooms. I don't see why**

**first years can't have their own. I think I'll bully father into getting**

**me one and I'll smuggle it in somehow."**

**Harry was strongly reminded of Dudley.**

**"Have you got your own broom?" the boy went on.**

**"No," said Harry.**

**"Play Quidditch at all?"**

**"No," Harry said again, wondering what on earth Quidditch could be.**

**"I do - Father says it's a crime if I'm not picked to play for my**

**house, and I must say, I agree. Know what house you'll be in yet?"**

**"No," said Harry, feeling more stupid by the minute.**

**"Well, no one really knows until they get there, do they, but I know**

**I'll be in Slytherin, all our family have been - imagine being in**

**Hufflepuff, I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?" "Mmm," said Harry, wishing**

**he could say something a bit more interesting**.

All eyes now found Draco and his family, all thoughts were the same, Arrogant little boy. Just like his father. Draco thought over what he just heard, and didn't really like it. Did he really sound like that, he sounded like a spoiled brat.

**"I say, look at that man!" said the boy suddenly, nodding toward the**

**front window. Hagrid was standing there, grinning at Harry and pointing**

**at two large ice creams to show he couldn't come in.**

**"That's Hagrid," said Harry, pleased to know something the boy didn't.**

**"He works at Hogwarts."**

**"Oh," said the boy, "I've heard of him. He's a sort of servant, isn't**

**he?"**

**"He's the gamekeeper," said Harry. He was liking the boy less and less**

**every second.**

**"Yes, exactly. I heard he's a sort of savage - lives in a hut on the**

**school grounds and every now and then he gets drunk, tries to do magic,**

**and ends up setting fire to his bed."**

**"I think he's brilliant," said Harry coldly.**

**"Do you?" said the boy, with a slight sneer. "Why is he with you? Where**

**are your parents?"**

**"They're dead," said Harry shortly. He didn't feel much like going into**

**the matter with this boy.**

**"Oh, sorry," said the other,. not sounding sorry at all. "But they were**

**our kind, weren't they?"**

**"They were a witch and wizard, if that's what you mean."**

**"I really don't think they should let the other sort in, do you? They're**

**just not the same, they've never been brought up to know our ways. Some**

**of them have never even heard of Hogwarts until they get the letter,**

**imagine. I think they should keep it in the old wizarding families.**

**What's your surname, anyway?"**

**But before Harry could answer, Madam Malkin said, "That's you done, my**

**dear," and Harry, not sorry for an excuse to stop talking to the boy,**

**hopped down from the footstool.**

**"Well, I'll see you at Hogwarts, I suppose," said the drawling boy.**

**Harry was rather quiet as he ate the ice cream Hagrid had bought him**

**(chocolate and raspberry with chopped nuts).**

**"What's up?" said Hagrid.**

**"Nothing," Harry lied. They stopped to buy parchment and quills. Harry**

**cheered up a bit when he found a bottle of ink that changed color as you**

**wrote. When they had left the shop, he said, "Hagrid, what's Quidditch?"**

**"Blimey, Harry, I keep forgettin' how little yeh know - not knowin'**

**about Quidditch!"**

**"Don't make me feel worse," said Harry. He told Hagrid about the pate**

**boy in Madam Malkin's.**

**"-and he said people from Muggle families shouldn't even be allowed**

**in."**

**"Yer not from a Muggle family. If he'd known who yeh were - he's grown**

**up knowin' yer name if his parents are wizardin' folk. You saw what**

**everyone in the Leaky Cauldron was like when they saw yeh. Anyway, what**

**does he know about it, some o' the best I ever saw were the only ones**

**with magic in 'em in a long line 0' Muggles - look at yer mum! Look**

**what she had fer a sister!"**

**"So what is Quidditch?"**

**"It's our sport. Wizard sport. It's like - like soccer in the Muggle**

**world - everyone follows Quidditch - played up in the air on**

**broomsticks and there's four balls - sorta hard ter explain the rules."**

**"And what are Slytherin and Hufflepuff?"**

**"School houses. There's four. Everyone says Hufflepuff are a lot o'**

**duffers, but -"**

**"I bet I'm in Hufflepuff" said Harry gloomily.**

**"Better Hufflepuff than Slytherin," said Hagrid darkly. "There's not a**

**single witch or wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin.**

**You-Know-Who was one."**

**"Vol-, sorry - You-Know-Who was at Hogwarts?"**

**"Years an' years ago," said Hagrid.**

**They bought Harry's school books in a shop called Flourish and Blotts**

**where the shelves were stacked to the ceiling with books as large as**

**paving stones bound in leather; books the size of postage stamps in**

**covers of silk; books full of peculiar symbols and a few books with**

**nothing in them at all. Even Dudley, who never read anything, would have**

**been wild to get his hands on some of these. Hagrid almost had to drag**

**Harry away from Curses and Countercurses (Bewitch Your Friends and**

**Befuddle Your Enemies with the Latest Revenges: Hair Loss, Jelly-Legs,**

**Tongue- Tying and Much, Much More) by Professor Vindictus Viridian.**

**"I was trying to find out how to curse Dudley."**

**"I'm not sayin' that's not a good idea, but yer not ter use magic in the**

**Muggle world except in very special circumstances," said Hagrid. "An'**

**anyway, yeh couldn' work any of them curses yet, yeh'll need a lot more**

**study before yeh get ter that level."**

**Hagrid wouldn't let Harry buy a solid gold cauldron, either ("It says**

**pewter on yer list"), but they got a nice set of scales for weighing**

**potion ingredients and a collapsible brass telescope. Then they visited**

**the Apothecary, which was fascinating enough to make up for its horrible**

**smell, a mixture of bad eggs and rotted cabbages. Barrels of slimy stuff**

**stood on the floor; jars of herbs, dried roots, and bright powders lined**

**the walls; bundles of feathers, strings of fangs, and snarled claws hung**

**from the ceiling. While Hagrid asked the man behind the counter for a**

**supply of some basic potion ingredients for Harry, Harry himself**

**examined silver unicorn horns at twenty-one Galleons each and minuscule,**

**glittery-black beetle eyes (five Knuts a scoop).**

**Outside the Apothecary, Hagrid checked Harry's list again.**

**"Just yer wand left - A yeah, an' I still haven't got yeh a birthday**

**present."**

**Harry felt himself go red.**

**"You don't have to -"**

**"I know I don't have to. Tell yeh what, I'll get yer animal. Not a toad,**

**toads went outta fashion years ago, yeh'd be laughed at - an' I don'**

**like cats, they make me sneeze. I'll get yer an owl. All the kids want owls, they're dead useful, carry yer mail an' everythin'."**

**Twenty minutes later, they left Eeylops Owl Emporium, which had been**

**dark and full of rustling and flickering, jewel-bright eyes. Harry now**

**carried a large cage that held a beautiful snowy owl, fast asleep with**

**her head under her wing. He couldn't stop stammering his thanks,**

**sounding just like Professor Quirrell.**

**"Don' mention it," said Hagrid gruffly. "Don' expect you've had a lotta**

**presents from them Dursleys. Just Ollivanders left now - only place fer**

**wands, Ollivanders, and yeh gotta have the best wand."**

**A magic wand... this was what Harry had been really looking forward to.**

**The last shop was narrow and shabby. Peeling gold letters over the door**

**read Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C. A single wand lay**

**on a faded purple cushion in the dusty window.**

**A tinkling bell rang somewhere in the depths of the shop as they stepped**

**inside. It was a tiny place, empty except for a single, spindly chair**

**that Hagrid sat on to wait. Harry felt strangely as though he had**

**entered a very strict library; he swallowed a lot of new questions that**

**had just occurred to him and looked instead at the thousands of narrow**

**boxes piled neatly right up to the ceiling. For some reason, the back of**

**his neck prickled. The very dust and silence in here seemed to tingle**

**with some secret magic.**

**"Good afternoon," said a soft voice. Harry jumped. Hagrid must have**

**jumped, too, because there was a loud crunching noise and he got quickly**

**off the spindly chair.**

**An old man was standing before them, his wide, pale eyes shining like**

**moons through the gloom of the shop.**

**"Hello," said Harry awkwardly.**

**"Ah yes," said the man. "Yes, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon.**

**Harry Potter." It wasn't a question. "You have your mother's eyes. It**

**seems only yesterday she was in here herself, buying her first wand. Ten**

**and a quarter inches long, swishy, made of willow. Nice wand for charm**

**work."**

**Mr. Ollivander moved closer to Harry. Harry wished he would blink. Those ****silvery eyes were a bit creepy.**

**"Your father, on the other hand, favored a mahogany wand. Eleven inches.**

**Pliable. A little more power and excellent for transfiguration. Well, I**

**say your father favored it - it's really the wand that chooses the**

**wizard, of course."**

**Mr. Ollivander had come so close that he and Harry were almost nose to**

**nose. Harry could see himself reflected in those misty eyes.**

**"And that's where..."**

**Mr. Ollivander touched the lightning scar on Harry's forehead with a**

**long, white finger.**

**"I'm sorry to say I sold the wand that did it," he said softly.**

**"Thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Powerful wand, very powerful, and in**

**the wrong hands... well, if I'd known what that wand was going out into**

**the world to do..."**

**He shook his head and then, to Harry's relief, spotted Hagrid.**

**"Rubeus! Rubeus Hagrid! How nice to see you again... Oak, sixteen**

**inches, rather bendy, wasn't it?"**

**"It was, sir, yes," said Hagrid.**

**"Good wand, that one. But I suppose they snapped it in half when you got**

**expelled?" said Mr. Ollivander, suddenly stern.**

**"Er - yes, they did, yes," said Hagrid, shuffling his feet. "I've still**

**got the pieces, though," he added brightly.**

**"But you don't use them?" said Mr. Ollivander sharply.**

**"Oh, no, sir," said Hagrid quickly. Harry noticed he gripped his pink**

**umbrella very tightly as he spoke.**

"How does he remember every wand he ever sold" asked Ron

" I believe he has photographic memory Mr weasley, come in handy when creating wands" explained Dumbledore

**"Hmmm," said Mr. Ollivander, giving Hagrid a piercing look. "Well, now**

**- Mr. Potter. Let me see." He pulled a long tape measure with silver**

**markings out of his pocket. "Which is your wand arm?"**

**"Er - well, I'm right-handed," said Harry.**

**"Hold out your arm. That's it." He measured Harry from shoulder to**

**finger, then wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, knee to armpit and round**

**his head. As he measured, he said, "Every Ollivander wand has a core of**

**a powerful magical substance, Mr. Potter. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix**

**tail feathers, and the heartstrings of dragons. No two Ollivander wands**

**are the same, just as no two unicorns, dragons, or phoenixes are quite**

**the same. And of course, you will never get such good results with**

**another wizard's wand."**

**Harry suddenly realized that the tape measure, which was measuring**

**between his nostrils, was doing this on its own. Mr. Ollivander was**

**flitting around the shelves, taking down boxes.**

**"That will do," he said, and the tape measure crumpled into a heap on**

**the floor. "Right then, Mr. Potter. Try this one. Beechwood and dragon**

**heartstring. Nine inches. Nice and flexible. just take it and give it a**

**wave."**

**Harry took the wand and (feeling foolish) waved it around a bit, but Mr.**

**Ollivander snatched it out of his hand almost at once.**

**"Maple and phoenix feather. Seven inches. Quite whippy. Try -"**

**Harry tried - but he had hardly raised the wand when it, too, was**

**snatched back by Mr. Ollivander.**

**"No, no -here, ebony and unicorn hair, eight and a half inches, springy.**

**Go on, go on, try it out."**

**Harry tried. And tried. He had no idea what Mr. Ollivander was waiting**

**for. The pile of tried wands was mounting higher and higher on the**

**spindly chair, but the more wands Mr. Ollivander pulled from the**

**shelves, the happier he seemed to become.**

**"Tricky customer, eh? Not to worry, we'll find the perfect match here**

**somewhere - I wonder, now - - yes, why not - unusual combination -**

**holly and phoenix feather, eleven inches, nice and supple."**

**Harry took the wand. He felt a sudden warmth in his fingers. He raised**

**the wand above his head, brought it swishing down through the dusty air**

**and a stream of red and gold sparks shot from the end like a firework,**

**throwing dancing spots of light on to the walls. Hagrid whooped and****clapped and Mr. Ollivander cried, "Oh, bravo! Yes, indeed, oh, very**

**good. Well, well, well... how curious... how very curious... "**

**He put Harry's wand back into its box and wrapped it in brown paper,**

**still muttering, "Curious... curious..**

**"Sorry," said Harry, "but what's curious?"**

**Mr. Ollivander fixed Harry with his pale stare.**

**"I remember every wand I've ever sold, Mr. Potter. Every single wand. It**

**so happens that the phoenix whose tail feather is in your wand, gave**

**another feather - just one other. It is very curious indeed that you**

**should be destined for this wand when its brother why, its brother gave**

**you that scar."**

A very ominous silence filled the room, Dumbledore had though this might happen. He knew Harry's scar was not a normal scar, he suspected that it connected Harry to Voldermort. He didn't have any proof, but this was just another incident in favour of his theory.

Harry had gone very white a finding out his wand was a brother in sort to Voldermort's he swallowed hard.

"does this mean I will be come a bad wizard?" he asked of the room in general.

He question hung there for a few seconds before nearly everyone began shouting out protests

Dumbledore on the other hand was thinking over that know he had a double connection to Voldermort. He know feared that the boy was bound even tighter to Tom.

**Harry swallowed.**

**"Yes, thirteen-and-a-half inches. Yew. Curious indeed how these things**

**happen. The wand chooses the wizard, remember... I think we must expect**

**great things from you, Mr. Potter... After all, He- Who-Must-Not-Be-Named did great things - terrible, yes, but great."**

**Harry shivered. He wasn't sure he liked Mr. Ollivander too much. He paid**

**seven gold Galleons for his wand, and Mr. Ollivander bowed them from his**

**shop.**

**The late afternoon sun hung low in the sky as Harry and Hagrid made**

**their way back down Diagon Alley, back through the wall, back through**

**the Leaky Cauldron, now empty. Harry didn't speak at all as they walked**

**down the road; he didn't even notice how much people were gawking at**

**them on the Underground, laden as they were with all their funny-shaped**

**packages, with the snowy owl asleep in its cage on Harry's lap. Up**

**another escalator, out into Paddington station; Harry only realized**

**where they were when Hagrid tapped him on the shoulder.**

**"Got time fer a bite to eat before yer train leaves," he said.**

**He bought Harry a hamburger and they sat down on plastic seats to eat**

**them. Harry kept looking around. Everything looked so strange, somehow.**

**"You all right, Harry? Yer very quiet," said Hagrid.**

**Harry wasn't sure he could explain. He'd just had the best birthday of**

**his life - and yet - he chewed his hamburger, trying to find the**

**words.**

**"Everyone thinks I'm special," he said at last. "All those people in the**

**Leaky Cauldron, Professor Quirrell, Mr. Ollivander... but I don't know**

**anything about magic at all. How can they expect great things? I'm**

**famous and I can't even remember what I'm famous for. I don't know what**

**happened when Vol-, sorry - I mean, the night my parents died."**

**Hagrid leaned across the table. Behind the wild beard and eyebrows he**

**wore a very kind smile.**

**"Don' you worry, Harry. You'll learn fast enough. Everyone starts at the**

**beginning at Hogwarts, you'll be just fine. just be yerself. I know it's**

**hard. Yeh've been singled out, an' that's always hard. But yeh'll have a**

**great time at Hogwarts - I did - still do, 'smatter of fact."**

**Hagrid helped Harry on to the train that would take him back to the**

**Dursleys, then handed him an envelope.**

**"Yer ticket fer Hogwarts, " he said. "First o' September - King's Cross**

**- it's all on yer ticket. Any problems with the Dursleys, send me a**

**letter with yer owl, she'll know where to find me... See yeh soon,**

**Harry."**

**The train pulled out of the station. Harry wanted to watch Hagrid until**

**he was out of sight; he rose in his seat and pressed his nose against**

**the window, but he blinked and Hagrid had gone.**

" That is that chapter over. Should we perhaps have dinner Molly?" Amelia asked.

Molly nodded and made her way to the kitchen, Amelia following. ****


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey. im hoping i will be updating this more often now. I know there are alot of people in the cottage, reading the book. i will try to keep the confusion to a minium. ****I hope you are enjoying the story so far. i will at somepoint be going back over this to fix the errors. Thank you for readying. Valfreya**

Chapter ten

Not long after the group broke up, to talk while they waited for dinner. Dumbledore called over to Snape to join him.

"How are you coping Severus, I know seeing Lilly potter again must be hard for you?" Dumbledore asked, he truly did care for Severus.

" I am coping fine, She has forgiven me" Snape replied simply. Snape didn't really want to talk about Lilly, not considering her husband and son where in the room. Dumbledore seem to have understood, and made his way to the table. He sat, and watched the group, all mixed together despite blood, or beliefs. Could it really be possible? Could everything change so quickly. He didn't think so. But he did hope.

Molly piled up Harry's plate with food, and his mother made sure he ate every bite of it. Harry could see his mother was trying to stay close to him, she barely left his side, since she had called him to the couch after they had arrived.

Dudley complained loudly that he was starving. Lilly -Luna walked over to the magical cage she had created.

"Dudley, I will let you free to come and eat, however if you step out of line, I will put you right back in there. Do you understand?" Lilly-Luna asked. Dudley nodded. He eyed her wand, as if it was a gun. She made a hole in the cage big enough for Dudley to get through. He rushed passed her then stood looking at the table.

Lilly saw, Dudley looking she conjured a chair on the other side of her.

"Come and sit here Dudley" she called, the boy walked over to his aunt. Slowly and carefully. And sat. He looked at the table over flowing with food. Dudley had been so used to getting everything he wanted, but something was different now. He was sitting with these "freaks" as his father had called them. But they didn't seem that strange to him. His aunt watched him, she wondered if he had been told about her, and his uncle.

"What would you like to eat Dudley?" Lilly asked picking up a plate and setting in down in front of him. His greedy little eyes covered the whole table, before he pointed to some beef, and potatoes.

"those, please" he whispered, he stuttered over the word please, Lilly noticed. She smiled encouragingly at him, and piled his plate. Dudley ate his plate full.

"Aunt Lilly, could I have more please?, it was the best beef I have ever had" Dudley's voice was a little more confident now. Lilly smiled at him. And picked up more food and gave to her nephew.

Everyone was talking about Harry's first year at Hogwarts, Fred and George had been strangely quiet. But they were now muttering to each other. Molly eyed her boys closely.

Draco had took a seat next to Hermione, much to Lucius dislike. However Narcissa placed a hand on her husbands arm and whispered "leave him be". Lucius agreed but eyed the pair carefully.

" So your a muggle-born?" Draco asked causally. He had never meet a muggle-born before this point. And he was interested, he wanted to know how they differed to wizard's

"Yes, my parent aren't magical" she replied.

"what's it like not having magic?, I mean it must be pretty hard. How do you get around, and how do you cook? And what about sports? Please tell me more about it" he asked politely. Hermione was taken back by the questioning, but she told him all about her muggle life. Draco listened and asked more questions, and new topics arose. He found he was quiet enjoying the conversation.

Finally after dessert, Amelia called for the room to sit. The twin took a seat next to Harry, Ron and Hermione, Draco attached himself to this group as well leaving his parents side for the first time, since they had arrived.

Amelia opened the book and read.

**CHAPTER SIX - THE JOURNEY FROM PLATFORM NINE AND THREE-QUARTERS**

**Harry's last month with the Dursleys wasn't fun. True, Dudley was now so**

**scared of Harry he wouldn't stay in the same room, while Aunt Petunia**

**and Uncle Vernon didn't shut Harry in his cupboard, force him to do**

**anything, or shout at him - in fact, they didn't speak to him at all.**

**Half terrified, half furious, they acted as though any chair with Harry**

**in it were empty. Although this was an improvement in many ways, it did**

**become a bit depressing after a while.**

**Harry kept to his room, with his new owl for company. He had decided to**

**call her Hedwig, a name he had found in A History of Magic. His school**

**books were very interesting. He lay on his bed reading late into the**

**night, Hedwig swooping in and out of the open window as she pleased. It**

**was lucky that Aunt Petunia didn't come in to vacuum anymore, because**

**Hedwig kept bringing back dead mice. Every night before he went to**

**sleep, Harry ticked off another day on the piece of paper he had pinned**

**to the wall, counting down to September the first.**

**On the last day of August he thought he'd better speak to his aunt and**

**uncle about getting to King's Cross station the next day, so he went**

**down to the living room where they were watching a quiz show on**

**television. He cleared his throat to let them know he was there, and**

**Dudley screamed and ran from the room.**

**"Er - Uncle Vernon?"**

**Uncle Vernon grunted to show he was listening.**

**"Er - I need to be at King's Cross tomorrow to - to go to Hogwarts."**

**Uncle Vernon grunted again.**

**"Would it be all right if you gave me a lift?"**

**Grunt. Harry supposed that meant yes.**

**"Thank you."**

**He was about to go back upstairs when Uncle Vernon actually spoke.**

**"Funny way to get to a wizards' school, the train. Magic carpets all got**

**punctures, have they?"**

**Harry didn't say anything.**

**"Where is this school, anyway?"**

**"I don't know," said Harry, realizing this for the first time. He pulled**

**the ticket Hagrid had given him out of his pocket.**

**"I just take the train from platform nine and three-quarters at eleven**

**o'clock," he read.**

**His aunt and uncle stared.**

**"Platform what?"**

**"Nine and three-quarters."**

**"Don't talk rubbish," said Uncle Vernon. "There is no platform nine and**

**three-quarters."**

**"It's on my ticket."**

**"Barking," said Uncle Vernon, "howling mad, the lot of them. You'll see.**

**You just wait. All right, we'll take you to King's Cross. We're going up**

**to London tomorrow anyway, or I wouldn't bother."**

**"Why are you going to London?" Harry asked, trying to keep things**

**friendly.**

**"Taking Dudley to the hospital," growled Uncle Vernon. "Got to have that**

**ruddy tail removed before he goes to Smeltings."**

**Harry woke at five o'clock the next morning and was too excited and**

**nervous to go back to sleep. He got up and pulled on his jeans because**

**he didn't want to walk into the station in his wizard's robes - he'd**

**change on the train. He checked his Hogwarts list yet again to make sure**

**he had everything he needed, saw that Hedwig was shut safely in her**

**cage, and then paced the room, waiting for the Dursleys to get up. Two**

**hours later, Harry's huge, heavy trunk had been loaded into the**

**Dursleys' car, Aunt Petunia had talked Dudley into sitting next to Harry, and they had set off.**

**They reached King's Cross at half past ten. Uncle Vernon dumped Harry's**

**trunk onto a cart and wheeled it into the station for him. Harry thought**

**this was strangely kind until Uncle Vernon stopped dead, facing the**

**platforms with a nasty grin on his face.**

**"Well, there you are, boy. Platform nine - platform ten. Your platform**

**should be somewhere in the middle, but they don't seem to have built it**

**yet, do they?"**

**He was quite right, of course. There was a big plastic number nine over**

**one platform and a big plastic number ten over the one next to it, and in the middle, nothing at all.**

**"Have a good term," said Uncle Vernon with an even nastier smile. He**

**left without another word. Harry turned and saw the Dursleys drive away.**

**All three of them were laughing. Harry's mouth went rather dry. What on**

**earth was he going to do? He was starting to attract a lot of funny**

**looks, because of Hedwig. He'd have to ask someone.**

Lilly threw a glare at Petunia "you know how to get on to the platform, why did you leave him there alone? He is eleven years old, and you left him alone in the middle of muggle London" she said. Her angry building. If she got her hands on Petunia any time soon her sister would regret the day she even decided to cross her.

**He stopped a passing guard, but didn't dare mention platform nine and**

**three-quarters. The guard had never heard of Hogwarts and when Harry**

**couldn't even tell him what part of the country it was in, he started to**

**get annoyed, as though Harry was being stupid on purpose. Getting**

**desperate, Harry asked for the train that left at eleven o'clock, but**

**the guard said there wasn't one. In the end the guard strode away,**

**muttering about time wasters. Harry was now trying hard not to panic.**

**According to the large clock over the arrivals board, he had ten minutes**

**left to get on the train to Hogwarts and he had no idea how to do it; he**

**was stranded in the middle of a station with a trunk he could hardly**

**lift, a pocket full of wizard money, and a large owl.**

**Hagrid must have forgotten to tell him something you had to do, like**

**tapping the third brick on the left to get into Diagon Alley. He**

**wondered if he should get out his wand and start tapping the ticket**

**inspector's stand between platforms nine and ten.**

**At that moment a group of people passed just behind him and he caught a**

**few words of what they were saying.**

**"- packed with Muggles, of course -"**

**Harry swung round. The speaker was a plump woman who was talking to four**

**boys, all with flaming red hair. Each of them was pushing a trunk like**

**Harry's in front of him - and they had an owl.**

"Ah, now we arrive to save they day" said Fred

"The amazing weasley twins to the rescue " said George

**Heart hammering, Harry pushed his cart after them. They stopped and so**

**did he, just near enough to hear what they were saying.**

**"Now, what's the platform number?" said the boys' mother.**

**"Nine and three-quarters!" piped a small girl, also red-headed, who was**

**holding her hand, "Mom, can't I go... "**

**"You're not old enough, Ginny, now be quiet. All right, Percy, you go first."**

**What looked like the oldest boy marched toward platforms nine and ten.**

**Harry watched, careful not to blink in case he missed it - but just as**

**the boy reached the dividing barrier between the two platforms, a large**

**crowd of tourists came swarming in front of him and by the time the last**

**backpack had cleared away, the boy had vanished.**

**"Fred, you next," the plump woman said.**

**"I'm not Fred, I'm George," said the boy. "Honestly, woman, you call**

**yourself our mother? Can't you tell I'm George?"**

**"Sorry, George, dear."**

**"Only joking, I am Fred," said the boy, and off he went. His twin called**

**after him to hurry up, and he must have done so, because a second later,**

**he had gone - but how had he done it?**

**Now the third brother was walking briskly toward the barrier he was**

**almost there - and then, quite suddenly, he wasn't anywhere.**

**There was nothing else for it.**

**"Excuse me," Harry said to the plump woman.**

**"Hello, dear," she said. "First time at Hogwarts? Ron's new, too."**

**She pointed at the last and youngest of her sons. He was tall, thin, and**

**gangling, with freckles, big hands and feet, and a long nose.**

The twins, laughed, so did a few others, Ron looked at the ground and mumbled

"thanks mate, they will never let me live that one down"

Harry smiled a huge smile "no problem mate" to which Ron punched him in the arm, his face was beetroot red, but he was giggling a little himself

**"Yes," said Harry. "The thing is - the thing is, I don't know how to**

**-"**

**"How to get onto the platform?" she said kindly, and Harry nodded.**

**"Not to worry," she said. "All you have to do is walk straight at the**

**barrier between platforms nine and ten. Don't stop and don't be scared**

**you'll crash into it, that's very important. Best do it at a bit of a**

**run if you're nervous. Go on, go now before Ron."**

**"Er - okay," said Harry.**

**He pushed his trolley around and stared at the barrier. It looked very**

**solid.**

**He started to walk toward it. People jostled him on their way to**

**platforms nine and ten. Harry walked more quickly. He was going to smash**

**right into that barrier and then he'd be in trouble - leaning forward**

**on his cart, he broke into a heavy run - the barrier was coming nearer**

**and nearer - he wouldn't be able to stop - the cart was out of control**

**- he was a foot away - he closed his eyes ready for the crash –**

**It didn't come... he kept on running... he opened his eyes. A scarlet**

**steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign**

**overhead said Hogwarts Express, eleven O'clock. Harry looked behind him**

**and saw a wrought-iron archway where the barrier had been, with the**

**words Platform Nine and Three-Quarters on it, He had done it.**

**Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd,**

**while cats of every color wound here and there between their legs. Owls**

**hooted to one another in a disgruntled sort of way over the babble and**

**the scraping of heavy trunks.**

**The first few carriages were already packed with students, some hanging**

**out of the window to talk to their families, some fighting over seats.**

**Harry pushed his cart off down the platform in search of an empty seat.**

**He passed a round-faced boy who was saying, "Gran, I've lost my toad**

**again."**

**"Oh, Neville," he heard the old woman sigh.**

"I'm in the books" Neville squeaked out, shocked to be included in anything. He really hoped he would become friends with Harry, Ron and Hermione

**A boy with dreadlocks was surrounded by a small crowd.**

**"Give us a look, Lee, go on."**

**The boy lifted the lid of a box in his arms, and the people around him**

**shrieked and yelled as something inside poked out a long, hairy leg.**

At this Ron turned white, he knew what as in the box. And he really didn't want to think about it.

"Are you alright Ron? Remus asked Ron shifted

"don't like spiders" he mumbled out.

Remus nodded, and eye the twins laughing and whispering

**Harry pressed on through the crowd until he found an empty compartment**

**near the end of the train. He put Hedwig inside first and then started**

**to shove and heave his trunk toward the train door. He tried to lift it**

**up the steps but could hardly raise one end and twice he dropped it**

**painfully on his foot.**

**"Want a hand?" It was one of the red-haired twins he'd followed through****the barrier.**

**"Yes, please," Harry panted.**

**"Oy, Fred! C'mere and help!"**

**With the twins' help, Harry's trunk was at last tucked away in a corner**

**of the compartment.**

**"Thanks," said Harry, pushing his sweaty hair out of his eyes.**

**"What's that?" said one of the twins suddenly, pointing at Harry's**

**lightning scar.**

**"Blimey," said the other twin. "Are you**

**"He is," said the first twin. "Aren't you?" he added to Harry.**

**"What?" said Harry.**

**"Harry Potter, "chorused the twins.**

**"Oh, him," said Harry. "I mean, yes, I am."**

Harry lowered his head, he hated that he would be recognised by people in the wizarding world.

The twins looked to Harry, and then turned to their mother.

"see mum we can be helpful" Said George

"wont doubt us again now will ya?" Fred added.

Molly eyed her boys. Not quiet believing they weren't going to pull some prank on Harry.

**The two boys gawked at him, and Harry felt himself turning red. Then, to**

**his relief, a voice came floating in through the train's open door.**

**"Fred? George? Are you there?"**

**"Coming, Mom."**

**With a last look at Harry, the twins hopped off the train.**

**Harry sat down next to the window where, half hidden, he could watch the**

**red-haired family on the platform and hear what they were saying. Their**

**mother had just taken out her handkerchief.**

Lilly looked at her son, "Harry that's very rude, you should eavesdrop on other people" she scolded lightly. She may not have been there for the last ten years but she was here now, and she was going to act like his mother. Harry, looked at his mother and felt the loved he had missed.

"Sorry mum" he replied, trying to hide his smile.

**"Ron, you've got something on your nose."**

**The youngest boy tried to jerk out of the way, but she grabbed him and**

**began rubbing the end of his nose.**

**"Mom - geroff" He wriggled free.**

**"Aaah, has ickle Ronnie got somefink on his nosie?" said one of the**

**twins.**

**"Shut up," said Ron.**

**"Where's Percy?" said their mother.**

**"He's coming now."**

**The oldest boy came striding into sight. He had already changed into his**

**billowing black Hogwarts robes, and Harry noticed a shiny silver badge**

**on his chest with the letter P on it.**

**"Can't stay long, Mother," he said. "I'm up front, the prefects have got**

**two compartments to themselves –"**

**"Oh, are you a prefect, Percy?" said one of the twins, with an air of**

**great surprise. "You should have said something, we had no idea."**

**"Hang on, I think I remember him saying something about it," said the**

**other twin. "Once -"**

**"Or twice -"**

**"A minute -"**

**"All summer -"**

**"Oh, shut up," said Percy the Prefect.**

Molly looked at Percy, the gave him a hug.

"Oh Percy I'm so proud of you well done dear" she beamed at him.

Percy held his head slightly higher, he had clearly worked hard and earn this position.

The twins laughed and in whispered

"yeah, he will be the last prefect, if we have anything to do with"

**"How come Percy gets new robes, anyway?" said one of the twins.**

**"Because he's a prefect," said their mother fondly. "All right, dear,**

**well, have a good term - send me an owl when you get there."**

**She kissed Percy on the cheek and he left. Then she turned to the twins.**

**"Now, you two - this year, you behave yourselves. If I get one more owl**

**telling me you've - you've blown up a toilet or -"**

**"Blown up a toilet? We've never blown up a toilet."**

Molly groaned. She couldn't believe she had said that, the last thing she needed to do was give the twins any more ideas. The twins watched their mother's face. Before putting their heads together and started planning.

**"Great idea though, thanks, Mom."**

**"It's not funny. And look after Ron."**

**"Don't worry, ickle Ronniekins is safe with us."**

**"Shut up," said Ron again. He was almost as tall as the twins already**

**and his nose was still pink where his mother had rubbed it.**

**"Hey, Mom, guess what? Guess who we just met on the train?"**

**Harry leaned back quickly so they couldn't see him looking.**

**"You know that black-haired boy who was near us in the station? Know who**

**he is?"**

**"Who?"**

**"Harry Potter!"**

**Harry heard the little girl's voice.**

**"Oh, Mom, can I go on the train and see him, Mom, eh please..."**

Ginny turned bright red and hid her face in her hands. While her brothers started laughing.

"Leave you sister alone boys, for so help me..." she left the threat unfinished.

There were a few chocked noises round the room while the weasley boys and

Sirius. Stopped laughing. Lilly slapped Sirius just for good measure. Although she was trying to hide her own smile. She knew of course they they ended up married, she had the proof sitting across from her. In the form of her grand-children. But she couldn't help feel a little down knowing she would miss all this.

**"You've already seen him, Ginny, and the poor boy isn't something you**

**goggle at in a zoo. Is he really, Fred? How do you know?"**

**"Asked him. Saw his scar. It's really there - like lightning."**

**"Poor dear - no wonder he was alone, I wondered. He was ever so polite**

**when he asked how to get onto the platform."**

**"Never mind that, do you think he remembers what You-Know-Who looks**

**like?"**

**Their mother suddenly became very stern.**

**"I forbid you to ask him, Fred. No, don't you dare. As though he needs**

**reminding of that on his first day at school."**

**"All right, keep your hair on."**

**A whistle sounded.**

Harry looked over at Molly, "thanks Mrs weasley" he mumbled out, grateful that someone was thinking about how hard this must be for him. Lilly smiled at the older woman too, she knew she had made the right choice asking Molly help too look after he baby.

**"Hurry up!" their mother said, and the three boys clambered onto the**

**train. They leaned out of the window for her to kiss them good-bye, and**

**their younger sister began to cry.**

**"Don't, Ginny, we'll send you loads of owls."**

**"We'll send you a Hogwarts toilet seat."**

**"George!"**

**"Only joking, Mom."**

**The train began to move. Harry saw the boys' mother waving and their**

**sister, half laughing, half crying, running to keep up with the train**

**until it gathered too much speed, then she fell back and waved.**

**Harry watched the girl and her mother disappear as the train rounded the**

**corner. Houses flashed past the window. Harry felt a great leap of**

**excitement. He didn't know what he was going to but it had to be better**

**than what he was leaving behind.**

**The door of the compartment slid open and the youngest redheaded boy**

**came in.**

**"Anyone sitting there?" he asked, pointing at the seat opposite Harry.**

**"Everywhere else is full."**

**Harry shook his head and the boy sat down. He glanced at Harry and then**

**looked quickly out of the window, pretending he hadn't looked. Harry saw**

**he still had a black mark on his nose.**

**"Hey, Ron."**

**The twins were back.**

**"Listen, we're going down the middle of the train - Lee Jordan's got a**

**giant tarantula down there."**

Ron shivered and glared at his brothers.

**"Right," mumbled Ron.**

**"Harry," said the other twin, "did we introduce ourselves? Fred and**

**George Weasley. And this is Ron, our brother. See you later, then.**

**"Bye," said Harry and Ron. The twins slid the compartment door shut**

**behind them.**

**"Are you really Harry Potter?" Ron blurted out.**

**Harry nodded.**

**"Oh -well, I thought it might be one of Fred and George's jokes," said**

**Ron. "And have you really got - you know..."**

**He pointed at Harry's forehead.**

**Harry pulled back his bangs to show the lightning scar. Ron stared.**

**"So that's where You-Know-Who**

**"Yes," said Harry, "but I can't remember it."**

**"Nothing?" said Ron eagerly.**

**"Well - I remember a lot of green light, but nothing else."**

"You remember that" Prongs asked his son, astounded. Harry nodded his head, and looked at the ground. He had a few dreams about his parent's death. The green light was the last thing he saw before he opened his eyes sweating. He had just assumed the light was from the engine. But it had never made sense until now. All the woman in the room had unshed tears in their eyes, and the men were looking uncomfortable. Harry's own children had never heard this. Lilly-Luna gave a small sob. Scorpius, put his arm round her, and pulled her close to him. He hated seeing her suffer.

Hermione put her hand on Harry's and gave it a small squeeze to show her support, while Ron gave him a weak smile

**Wow," said Ron. He sat and stared at Harry for a few moments, then, as**

**though he had suddenly realized what he was doing, he looked quickly out**

**of the window again.**

"Thanks" Harry said to Ron, his voice thick with emotions he didn't want to share

**"Are all your family wizards?" asked Harry, who found Ron just as**

**interesting as Ron found him.**

**"Er - Yes, I think so," said Ron. "I think Mom's got a second cousin**

**who's an accountant, but we never talk about him."**

**"So you must know loads of magic already."**

**The Weasleys were clearly one of those old wizarding families the pale**

**boy in Diagon Alley had talked about.**

**"I heard you went to live with Muggles," said Ron. "What are they like?"**

**"Horrible -well, not all of them. My aunt and uncle and cousin are,**

**though. Wish I'd had three wizard brothers.**

**"Five," said Ron. For some reason, he was looking gloomy. "I'm the sixth**

**in our family to go to Hogwarts. You could say I've got a lot to live up**

**to. Bill and Charlie have already left - Bill was head boy and Charlie**

**was captain of Quidditch. Now Percy's a prefect. Fred and George mess**

**around a lot, but they still get really good marks and everyone thinks**

**they're really funny. Everyone expects me to do as well as the others,**

**but if I do, it's no big deal, because they did it first. You never get**

**anything new, either, with five brothers. I've got Bill's old robes,**

**Charlie's old wand, and Percy's old rat."**

**Ron reached inside his jacket and pulled out a fat gray rat, which was**

**asleep.**

**"His name's Scabbers and he's useless, he hardly ever wakes up. Percy**

**got an owl from my dad for being made a prefect, but they couldn't aff**

**- I mean, I got Scabbers instead."**

**Ron's ears went pink. He seemed to think he'd said too much, because he**

**went back to staring out of the window.**

**Harry didn't think there was anything wrong with not being able to**

**afford an owl. After all, he'd never had any money in his life until a**

**month ago, and he told Ron so, all about having to wear Dudley's old**

**clothes and never getting proper birthday presents. This seemed to cheer**

**Ron up.**

Remus looked at Harry. "well I will make sure, you get birthday presents, and new clothes. I will try very hard to make your life a happy one Harry. " He wanted to make sure Harry could enjoy his years at school as much as possible, he knew he would never replace James and Lilly, and he wouldn't try. But he wanted Harry to have a better life that had, had for the last ten years.

Harry was over joyed to know he would have a very different life than he had known. He wanted to find a way to make it up to Mr Lupin for giving him a fresh start to life. He had heard other use his nickname mooney. His god-father was padfoot. And he left this cottage he would be living with them and seeing Mrs weasley all the time too. And his friends. This was better than anything he had wished for.

"Uncle Mooney, could my friends come over at weekends and s..." he trailed off at the look on mooney's face, it held a look of surprise. Harry6 quickly lowered his head. Fearing he was in trouble. Mooney reached over and pulled Harry to stand in front of him.

"Harry what is wrong?" mooney asked kindly.

"Your mad at me" Harry whispered

"No, I'm not, I was surprised Harry, that's all. " he reassured him

"you know kido, when you were learning to talk to would shout " unca mooney, and unca padds." Its been a long time since we have been called you uncles. Its nice to know you still feel the same. No matter what happens we are your family" Added Sirius. Smiling at Harry.

Many adults in the room were smiling at the two men and Harry. Lilly snuggled closer to Prongs. Watching her son connect with her friends. Yes she had made the right choice

**"... and until Hagrid told me, I didn't know anything about being a**

**wizard or about my parents or Voldemort"**

**Ron gasped.**

"**What?" said Harry.**

**"You said You-Know-Who's name!" said Ron, sounding both shocked and**

**impressed. "I'd have thought you, of all people -"**

**"I'm not trying to be brave or anything, saying the name," said Harry, I**

**just never knew you shouldn't. See what I mean? I've got loads to**

**learn... I bet," he added, voicing for the first time something that**

**had been worrying him a lot lately, "I bet I'm the worst in the class."**

**"You won't be. There's loads of people who come from Muggle families and**

**they learn quick enough."**

**While they had been talking, the train had carried them out of London.**

**Now they were speeding past fields full of cows and sheep. They were**

**quiet for a time, watching the fields and lanes flick past.**

**Around half past twelve there was a great clattering outside in the**

**corridor and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door and said,**

**"Anything off the cart, dears?"**

**Harry, who hadn't had any breakfast, leapt to his feet, but Ron's ears**

**went pink again and he muttered that he'd brought sandwiches. Harry went**

**out into the corridor.**

**He had never had any money for candy with the Dursleys, and now that he**

**had pockets rattling with gold and silver he was ready to buy as many**

**Mars Bars as he could carry - but the woman didn't have Mars Bars. What**

**she did have were Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Drooble's Best**

**Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs. Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes, Licorice**

**Wands, and a number of other strange things Harry had never seen in his**

**life. Not wanting to miss anything, he got some of everything and paid**

**the woman eleven silver Sickles and seven bronze Knuts.**

**Ron stared as Harry brought it all back in to the compartment and tipped**

**it onto an empty seat.**

**"Hungry, are you?"**

**"Starving," said Harry, taking a large bite out of a pumpkin pasty.**

**Ron had taken out a lumpy package and unwrapped it. There were four**

**sandwiches inside. He pulled one of them apart and said, "She always**

**forgets I don't like corned beef."**

**"Swap you for one of these," said Harry, holding up a pasty. "Go on -"**

**"You don't want this, it's all dry," said Ron. "She hasn't got much**

**time," he added quickly, "you know, with five of us."**

**"Go on, have a pasty," said Harry, who had never had anything to share**

**before or, indeed, anyone to share it with. It was a nice feeling,**

**sitting there with Ron, eating their way through all Harry's pasties,**

**cakes, and candies (the sandwiches lay forgotten).**

"Thanks Mate" Ron said cheerfully.

"hey, it nice to share, that's what friends do" Harry replied, with a huge smile on his face, he and his first and best friend shared a moment.

"Ron, why didn't you remind me, you dont like corned beef, you know I would make you something else? Oh harry dear, that was very nice of you" Harry's cheek flamed red

"Mum you have enough to do, look after the twins, never mind the rest of us, I just want to save you some grief, that's all" Ron replied, he knew his mother had a hard time raising 7 children. Ron didn't want to see her even more stressed out.

Arthur smiled proudly at his son.

**"What are these?" Harry asked Ron, holding up a pack of Chocolate Frogs.**

**"They're not really frogs, are they?" He was starting to feel that**

**nothing would surprise him.**

**"No," said Ron. "But see what the card is. I'm missing Agrippa."**

**"What?"**

**"Oh, of course, you wouldn't know - Chocolate Frogs have cards, inside**

**them, you know, to collect - famous witches and wizards. I've got about**

**five hundred, but I haven't got Agrippa or Ptolemy."**

**Harry unwrapped his Chocolate Frog and picked up the card. It showed a**

**man's face. He wore half- moon glasses, had a long, crooked nose, and**

**flowing silver hair, beard, and mustache. Underneath the picture was the**

**name Albus Dumbledore.**

**"So this is Dumbledore!" said Harry.**

"Ah, one of my proudest moments" Dumbledore said happily

**"Don't tell me you'd never heard of Dumbledore!" said Ron. "Can I have a**

**frog? I might get Agrippa - thanks**

**Harry turned over his card and read:**

**ALBUS DUMBLEDORE**

**CURRENTLY HEADMASTER OF HOGWARTS**

**Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is**

**particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in**

**1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his**

**work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore**

**enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling.**

"Really sir, ten pin bowling?" Harry asked surprised.

"Oh yes, Mr potter, it is one of my favorite past times. I do love the sound on the ball, hitting the pins, good sound don't you think?" he asked his blue eyes twinkling

Harry didn't trust his self to speak, so he nodded.

**Harry turned the card back over and saw, to his astonishment, that**

**Dumbledore's face had disappeared.**

**"He's gone!"**

**"Well, you can't expect him to hang around all day," said Ron. "He'll be**

**back. No, I've got Morgana again and I've got about six of her... do you**

**want it? You can start collecting."**

**Ron's eyes strayed to the pile of Chocolate Frogs waiting to be**

**unwrapped.**

**"Help yourself," said Harry. "But in, you know, the Muggle world, people**

**just stay put in photos."**

**"Do they? What, they don't move at all?" Ron sounded amazed. "weird!"**

**Harry stared as Dumbledore sidled back into the picture on his card and**

**gave him a small smile. Ron was more interested in eating the frogs than**

**looking at the Famous Witches and Wizards cards, but Harry couldn't keep**

**his eyes off them. Soon he had not only Dumbledore and Morgana, but**

**Hengist of Woodcroft, Alberic Grunnion, Circe, Paracelsus, and Merlin.**

**He finally tore his eyes away from the druidess Cliodna, who was**

**scratching her nose, to open a bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.**

**"You want to be careful with those," Ron warned Harry. "When they say**

**every flavor, they mean every flavor - you know, you get all the**

**ordinary ones like chocolate and peppermint and mar- malade, but then**

**you can get spinach and liver and tripe. George reckons he had a boogerflavored**

**one once."**

**Ron picked up a green bean, looked at it carefully, and bit into a corner.**

**"Bleaaargh - see? Sprouts."**

**They had a good time eating the Every Flavor Beans. Harry got toast,**

**coconut, baked bean, strawberry, curry, grass, coffee, sardine, and was**

**even brave enough to nibble the end off a funny gray one Ron wouldn't**

**touch, which turned out to be pepper.**

**The countryside now flying past the window was becoming wilder. The neat**

**fields had gone. Now there were woods, twisting rivers, and dark green**

**hills.**

**There was a knock on the door of their compartment and the round-faced**

**boy Harry had passed on platform nine and threequarters came in. He**

**looked tearful.**

**"Sorry," he said, "but have you seen a toad at all?"**

**When they shook their heads, he wailed, "I've lost him! He keeps getting**

**away from me!"**

**"He'll turn up," said Harry.**

**"Yes," said the boy miserably. "Well, if you see him..."**

**He left.**

**"Don't know why he's so bothered," said Ron. "If I'd brought a toad I'd**

l**ose it as quick as I could. Mind you, I brought Scabbers, so I can't**

**talk."**

**The rat was still snoozing on Ron's lap.**

**"He might have died and you wouldn't know the difference," said Ron in**

**disgust. "I tried to turn him yellow yesterday to make him more**

**interesting, but the spell didn't work. I'll show you, look..."**

**He rummaged around in his trunk and pulled out a very battered-looking**

**wand. It was chipped in places and something white was glinting at the**

**end.**

**"Unicorn hair's nearly poking out. Anyway**

**He had just raised his 'wand when the compartment door slid open again.**

**The toadless boy was back, but this time he had a girl with him. She was**

**already wearing her new Hogwarts robes.**

**He had just raised his 'wand when the compartment door slid open again.**

**The toadless boy was back, but this time he had a girl with him. She was**

**already wearing her new Hogwarts robes.**

**"Has anyone seen a toad? Neville's lost one," she said. She had a bossy**

**sort of voice, lots of bushy brown hair, and rather large front teeth.**

**"We've already told him we haven't seen it," said Ron, but the girl**

**wasn't listening, she was looking at the wand in his hand.**

**"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see it, then."**

**She sat down. Ron looked taken aback.**

**"Er - all right."**

**He cleared his throat.**

**"Sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, Turn this stupid, fat rat yellow."**

"Fred, George, don't play tricks on your brother" Molly said sternly

"how do you know it was us, might have been Percy" the Fred said

"yeah wouldn't play tricks on ronniekins" added George snickering.

"I am your mother and I know you better than you know your sevlves. You had better behave, or no broomsticks for you two, is that clear" Molly said harshly.

The twins opened their mouths to speak, but caught their father shaking his head.

**He waved his wand, but nothing happened. Scabbers stayed gray and fast**

**asleep.**

**"Are you sure that's a real spell?" said the girl. "Well, it's not very**

**good, is it? I've tried a few simple spells just for practice and it's**

**all worked for me. Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such**

**a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I**

**mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard -**

**I've learned all our course books by heart, of course, I just hope it**

**will be enough - I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you.**

**She said all this very fast.**

**Harry looked at Ron, and was relieved to see by his stunned face that he**

**hadn't learned all the course books by heart either.**

**"I'm Ron Weasley," Ron muttered.**

**"Harry Potter," said Harry.**

**"Are you really?" said Hermione. "I know all about you, of course - I**

**got a few extra books. for background reading, and you're in Modern**

**Magical History and The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts and Great**

**Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century.**

**"Am I?" said Harry, feeling dazed.**

**"Goodness, didn't you know, I'd have found out everything I could if it**

**was me," said Hermione. "Do either of you know what house you'll be in?**

**I've been asking around, and I hope I'm in Gryffindor, it sounds by far**

**the best; I hear Dumbledore himself was in it, but I suppose Ravenclaw**

**wouldn't be too bad... Anyway, we'd better go and look for Neville's**

**toad. You two had better change, you know, I expect we'll be there**

**soon."**

**And she left, taking the toadless boy with her.**

**"Whatever house I'm in, I hope she's not in it," said Ron. He threw his**

**wand back into his trunk. "Stupid spell - George gave it to me, bet he**

**knew it was a dud."**

**"What house are your brothers in?" asked Harry.**

**"Gryffindor," said Ron. Gloom seemed to be settling on him again. "Mom**

**and Dad were in it, too. I don't know what they'll say if I'm not. I**

**don't suppose Ravenclaw would be too bad, but imagine if they put me in**

**Slytherin."**

**"That's the house Vol-, I mean, You-Know-Who was in?"**

**"Yeah," said Ron. He flopped back into his seat, looking depressed.**

**"You know, I think the ends of Scabbers' whiskers are a bit lighter,"**

**said Harry, trying to take Ron's mind off houses. "So what do your**

**oldest brothers do now that they've left, anyway?"**

**Harry was wondering what a wizard did once he'd finished school.**

**"Charlie's in Romania studying dragons, and Bill's in Africa doing**

**something for Gringotts," said Ron. "Did you hear about**

**Gringotts? It's been all over the Daily Prophet, but I don't suppose you**

**get that with the muggles - someone tried to rob a high security**

**vault."**

**Harry stared.**

**"Really? What happened to them?"**

**"Nothing, that's why it's such big news. They haven't been caught. My**

**dad says it must've been a powerful Dark wizard to get round Gringotts,**

**but they don't think they took anything, that's what's odd. 'Course,**

**everyone gets scared when something like this happens in case**

**You-Know-Who's behind it."**

**Harry turned this news over in his mind. He was starting to get a**

**prickle of fear every time You- Know-Who was mentioned. He supposed this**

**was all part of entering the magical world, but it had been a lot more**

**comfortable saying "Voldemort" without worrying.**

**"What's your Quidditch team?" Ron asked.**

**"Er - I don't know any," Harry confessed.**

**"What!" Ron looked dumbfounded. "Oh, you wait, it's the best game in the world -" And he was off, explaining all about the four balls and the**

**positions of the seven players, describing famous games he'd been to**

**with his brothers and the broomstick he'd like to get if he had the**

**money. He was just taking Harry through the finer points of the game**

**when the compartment door slid open yet again, but it wasn't Neville the**

**toadless boy, or Hermione Granger this time.**

**Three boys entered, and Harry recognized the middle one at once: it was**

**the pale boy from Madam Malkin's robe shop. He was looking at Harry with**

**a lot more interest than he'd shown back in Diagon Alley.**

**"Is it true?" he said. "They're saying all down the train that Harry**

**Potter's in this compartment. So it's you, is it?"**

**"Yes," said Harry. He was looking at the other boys. Both of them were**

**thickset and looked extremely mean. Standing on either side of the pale**

**boy, they looked like bodyguards.**

**"Oh, this is Crabbe and this is Goyle," said the pale boy carelessly,**

**noticing where Harry was looking. "And my name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy."**

**Ron gave a slight cough, which might have been hiding a snigger. Draco**

**Malfoy looked at him.**

**"Think my name's funny, do you? No need to ask who you are. My father**

**told me all the Weasleys have red hair, freckles, and more children than**

**they can afford."**

**He turned back to Harry. "You'll soon find out some wizarding families**

**are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go making friends**

**with the wrong sort. I can help you there."**

**He held out his hand to shake Harry's, but Harry didn't take it.**

**"I think I can tell who the wrong sort are for myself, thanks," he said**

**coolly.**

**Draco Malfoy didn't go red, but a pink tinge appeared in his pale**

**cheeks.**

**"I'd be careful if I were you, Potter," he said slowly. "Unless you're a**

**bit politer you'll go the same way as your parents. They didn't know**

**what was good for them, either. You hang around with riff-raff like the Weasleys and that Hagrid, and it'll rub off on you."**

**Both Harry and Ron stood up.**

**"Say that again," Ron said, his face as red as his hair.**

**"Oh, you're going to fight us, are you?" Malfoy sneered.**

**"Unless you get out now," said Harry, more bravely than he felt, because**

**Crabbe and Goyle were a lot bigger than him or Ron.**

**"But we don't feet like leaving, do we, boys? We've eaten all our food**

**and you still seem to have some."**

**Goyle reached toward the Chocolate Frogs next to Ron - Ron leapt**

**forward, but before he'd so much as touched Goyle, Goyle let out a**

**horrible yell**

**Scabbers the rat was hanging off his finger, sharp little teeth sunk**

**deep into Goyle's knuckle - Crabbe and Malfoy backed away as Goyle swung**

**Scabbers round and round, howling, and when Scabbers finally flew off**

**and hit the window, all three of them disappeared at once. Perhaps they**

**thought there were more rats lurking among the sweets, or perhaps they'd**

**heard footsteps, because a second later, Hermione Granger had come in.**

**"What has been going on?" she said, looking at the sweets all over the**

**floor and Ron picking up Scabbers by his tail.**

**I think he's been knocked out," Ron said to Harry. He looked closer at**

**Scabbers. "No - I don't believe it - he's gone back to sleep-"**

**And so he had.**

**"You've met Malfoy before?"**

**Harry explained about their meeting in Diagon Alley.**

**"I've heard of his family," said Ron darkly. "They were some of the**

**first to come back to our side after You-Know-Who disappeared. Said**

**they'd been bewitched. My dad doesn't believe it. He says Malfoy's**

**father didn't need an excuse to go over to the Dark Side." He turned to**

**Hermione. "Can we help you with something?"**

**"You'd better hurry up and put your robes on, I've just been up to the**

**front to ask the conductor, and he says we're nearly there. You haven't**

**been fighting, have you? You'll be in trouble before we even get there!"**

**"Scabbers has been fighting, not us," said Ron, scowling at her. "Would**

**you mind leaving while we change?"**

**"All right - I only came in here because people outside are behaving**

**very childishly, racing up and down the corridors," said Hermione in a**

**sniffy voice. "And you've got dirt on your nose, by the way, did you**

**know?"**

**Ron glared at her as she left. Harry peered out of the window. It was**

**getting dark. He could see mountains and forests under a deep purple**

**sky. The train did seem to be slowing down.**

**He and Ron took off their jackets and pulled on their long black robes.**

**Ron's were a bit short for him, you could see his sneakers underneath**

**them.**

**A voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five**

**minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken**

**to the school separately."**

**Harry's stomach lurched with nerves and Ron, he saw, looked pale under**

**his freckles. They crammed their pockets with the last of the sweets and**

**joined the crowd thronging the corridor.**

**The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way**

**toward the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. Harry shivered in**

**the cold night air. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the**

**students, and Harry heard a familiar voice: "Firs' years! Firs' years**

**over here! All right there, Harry?"**

**Hagrid's big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads.**

**"C'mon, follow me - any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs'**

**years follow me!"**

**Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a**

**steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that Harry**

**thought there must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much. Neville, the**

**boy who kept losing his toad, sniffed once or twice.**

**"Ye' all get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over**

**his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here."**

**There was a loud "Oooooh!"**

**The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black take.**

**Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in**

**the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.**

" The castle looks lovely at night, especially seeing it for the first time." Lilly said softly

Harry though it sounded wonderful. He couldn't wait to see it for him self, however he was still worried that he wouldn't be very good at magic.

**"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little**

**boats sitting in the water by the shore. Harry and Ron were followed**

**into their boat by Neville and Hermione. "Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid,**

**who had a boat to himself. "Right then - FORWARD!"**

**And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the**

**lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at**

**the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer**

**and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.**

**"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they**

**all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain**

**of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried**

**along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the**

**castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they**

**clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.**

**"Oy, you there! Is this your toad?" said Hagrid, who was checking the**

**boats as people climbed out of them.**

**"Trevor!" cried Neville blissfully, holding out his hands. Then they**

**clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at**

**last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle.**

**They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, Oak**

**front door.**

**"Everyone here? You there, still got yer toad?"**

**Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle**

**door.**

"The chapter is over now, shall we take a break or continue on?" Amelia asked the room

"Continue on, mum, I want to see what house Harry is in?" Prongs said excitedly


	11. Chapter 11

**Latest chapter folks, hope you enjoy it. Thanks for reading. Valfreya**

Chapter Eleven.

Amelia turned the page, and smiled at the title. She remembered her own sorting, she was a proud Gryfinndor. She had many fond memories of Hogwarts. She got the feeling however her Grandson, wasn't going to be so lucky.

**CHAPTER SEVEN - THE SORTING HAT**

**The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green**

**robes stood there. She had a very stern face and Harry's first thought**

**was that this was not someone to cross.**

Minerva Allowed her self a small smile, she hoped that potter would be in her house. She had no doubt he would be a credit to his name and house. She also hoped that he would be a little bit better protected under her watchful eye.

Padfoot smiled " Nah, you really don't want to cross her Harry" he said, then seeing the look he was getting from the said professor padfoot stage whispered to Harry

"but she is a great professor, to have on your side" He added. Harry nodded in understanding, Minerva, smiled and shook her head, always the charmer that boy. She though to her self.

**"The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.**

**"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here."**

**She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could have**

**fit the whole of the Dursleys' house in it. The stone walls were lit**

**with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too**

**high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to**

**the upper floors.**

**They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Harry**

**could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right**

**-the rest of the school must already be here - but Professor McGonagall**

**showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They**

**crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have**

**done, peering about nervously.**

**"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term**

**banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great**

**Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very**

**important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be**

**something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with**

**the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free**

**time in your house common room.**

**"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and**

**Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced**

**outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your**

**triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule breaking will lose**

**house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is**

**awarded the house cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a**

**credit to whichever house becomes yours.**

**"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the**

**rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as**

**you can while you are waiting."**

Prongs and Harry both ran a hand over their hair. While James and Albus, shifted their own hair Amelia smiled and called over

"No use boys, its a potter thing, my dear husband's fault" She said.

**Her eyes lingered for a moment on Neville's cloak, which was fastened**

**under his left ear, and on Ron's smudged nose. Harry nervously tried to**

**flatten his hair.**

**"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall.**

**"Please wait quietly."**

**She left the chamber. Harry swallowed.**

**"How exactly do they sort us into houses?" he asked Ron.**

**"Some sort of test, I think. Fred said it hurts a lot, but I think he**

**was joking."**

"FREDRICK FABIAN WEASLEY. HOW DARE YOU SCARE YOUR BROTHER LIKE THAT." Molly screamed. She knew her son was only joking, but after hearing how Ron felt he had a lot to live up, she wanted him to be free of all the pressure.

Fred went to open his mouth to argue with his mother, but found he couldn't speak. He looked around all the adults in the room, and found Hugo slipping his wand out of sight.

**Harry's heart gave a horrible jolt. A test? In front of the whole**

**school? But he didn't know any magic yet - what on earth would he have**

**to do? He hadn't expected something like this the moment they arrived.**

**He looked around anxiously and saw that everyone else looked terrified,**

**too. No one was talking much except Hermione Granger, who was whispering**

**very fast about all the spells she'd learned and wondering which one**

**she'd need. Harry tried hard not to listen to her. He'd never been more**

**nervous, never, not even when he'd had to take a school report home to**

**the Dursleys saying that he'd somehow turned his teacher's wig blue. He**

**kept his eyes fixed on the door. Any second now, Professor McGonagall**

**would come back and lead him to his doom.**

**Then something happened that made him jump about a foot in the air -**

**several people behind him screamed.**

**"What the -?"**

**He gasped. So did the people around him. About twenty ghosts had just**

**streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent,**

**they glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing**

**at the first years. They seemed to be arguing. What looked like a fat**

**little monk was saying: "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him**

**a second chance -"**

**"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He**

**gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost - I**

**say, what are you all doing here?"**

**A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the first years.**

**Nobody answered.**

**"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. "About to be**

**Sorted, I suppose?"**

**A few people nodded mutely.**

**"Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old house, you**

**know."**

**"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to**

**start."**

**Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away**

**through the opposite wall.**

**"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "and**

**follow me."**

**Feeling oddly as though his legs had turned to lead, Harry got into line**

**behind a boy with sandy hair, with Ron behind him, and they walked out**

**of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors**

**into the Great Hall.**

**Harry had never even imagined such a strange and splendid place. It was**

**lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair**

**over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting.**

**These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the**

**top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting.**

**Professor McGonagall led the first years up here, so that they came to a**

**halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them.**

**The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the**

**flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the**

**ghosts shone misty silver. Mainly to avoid all the staring eyes, Harry**

**looked upward and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars. He**

**heard**

**Hermione whisper, "Its bewitched to look like the sky outside. I read**

**about it in Hogwarts, A History."**

"you read the book before going to school" Ron breathed, is disbelief.

Hermione glared at him, of course she would read her school book before going to school. How else would she learn.

**It was hard to believe there was a ceiling there at all, and that the**

**Great Hall didn't simply open on to the heavens.**

**Harry quickly looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed**

**a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she**

**put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and**

**extremely dirty. Aunt Petunia wouldn't have let it in the house.**

**Maybe they had to try and get a rabbit out of it, Harry thought wildly,**

**that seemed the sort of thing - noticing that everyone in the hall was**

**now staring at the hat, he stared at it, too. For a few seconds, there**

**was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened**

**wide like a mouth - and the hat began to sing:**

"mmm I wonder what the hat, will sing about this year, since Harry has finally came back into the wizarding world...Do you think it may have something to do with Voldermort?" Remus asked Dumbledore.

Dumbledore, thought that over for a few minutes, if his theory was correct, then it was very possible, that Tom had found away to return.

"It is very possible Remus, if my theory is correct. However I do not have enough evidence at the moment" Dumbledore replied.

Lilly, looked scared. She didn't want to think about her baby boy, near Voldermort again. She and Prongs shared a look, that said they were thing the same thing.

**"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,**

**But don't judge on what you see,**

**I'll eat myself if you can find**

**A smarter hat than me.**

**You can keep your bowlers black,**

**Your top hats sleek and tall,**

**For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat**

**And I can cap them all.**

**There's nothing hidden in your head**

**The Sorting Hat can't see,**

**So try me on and I will tell you**

**Where you ought to be.**

**You might belong in Gryffindor,**

**Where dwell the brave at heart,**

**Their daring, nerve, and chivalry Set Gryffindors apart;**

**You might belong in Hufflepuff,**

**Where they are just and loyal,**

**Those patient Hufflepuffis are true And unafraid of toil;**

**Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,**

**if you've a ready mind,**

**Where those of wit and learning,**

**Will always find their kind;**

**Or perhaps in Slytherin**

**You'll make your real friends,**

**Those cunning folk use any means**

**To achieve their ends.**

**So put me on! Don't be afraid!**

**And don't get in a flap!**

**You're in safe hands (though I have none)**

**For I'm a Thinking Cap!"**

**The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It**

**bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.**

**"So we've just got to try on the hat!" Ron whispered to Harry. "I'll**

**kill Fred, he was going on about wrestling a troll."**

**Harry. smiled weakly. Yes, trying on the hat was a lot better than**

**having to do a spell, but he did wish they could have tried it on**

**without everyone watching. The hat seemed to be asking rather alot;**

**Harry didn't feel brave or quick-witted or any of it at the moment. If**

**only the hat had mentioned a house for people who felt a bit queasy,**

**that would have been the one for him.**

**Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of**

**parchment.**

**"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to**

**be sorted," she said. "Abbott, Hannah!"**

**A pink-faced girl with blonde pigtails stumbled out of line, put on the**

**hat, which fell right down over her eyes, and sat down. A moments pause**

**"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.**

**The table on the right cheered and clapped as Hannah went to sit down at**

**the Hufflepuff table. Harry saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving**

**merrily at her.**

**"Bones, Susan!"**

**"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat again, and Susan scuttled off to sit next**

**to Hannah.**

**"Boot, Terry!"**

**"RAVENCLAW!"**

**The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws**

**stood up to shake hands with Terry as he joined them.**

**" Brocklehurst, Mandy" went to Ravenclaw too, but "Brown, Lavender"**

**became the first new Gryffindor, and the table on the far left exploded**

**with cheers; Harry could see Ron's twin brothers catcalling.**

**"Bulstrode, Millicent" then became a Slytherin. Perhaps it was Harry's**

**imagination, after all he'd heard about Slytherin, but he thought they**

**looked like an unpleasant lot. He was starting to feel definitely sick**

**now. He remembered being picked for teams during gym at his old school.**

**He had always been last to be chosen, not because he was no good, but**

**because no one wanted Dudley to think they liked him.**

**"Finch-Fletchley, Justin!"**

**"HUFFLEPUFF!"**

**Sometimes, Harry noticed, the hat shouted out the house at once, but at**

**others it took a little while to decide. "Finnigan, Seamus," the**

**sandy-haired boy next to Harry in the line, sat on the stool for almost**

**a whole minute before the hat declared him a Gryffindor.**

**"Granger, Hermione!"**

**Hermione almost ran to the stool and jammed the hat eagerly on her head.**

Hermione, sat up straight, she was edger to know what house she would be in, she was already planning, what books, she would read.

The whole room was sitting on the edge of their seats, dying to know what house the young girl would be in. Snape and Minerva were paying close attention.

**"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat. Ron groaned**.

"Congratulations Hermione" Said Lilly, she gave the girl a warm hug. Prongs followed suit, giving her a brief hug.

"Congratulations, Miss Granger" Minerva said giving the girl a warm welcoming smile

There were many calls of congratulations, and applause Hermione, swelled with pride.

**A horrible thought struck Harry, as horrible thoughts always do when**

**you're very nervous. What if he wasn't chosen at all? What if he just**

**sat there with the hat over his eyes for ages, until Professor**

**McGonagall jerked it off his head and said there had obviously been a**

**mistake and he'd better get back on the train?**

**Harry hung his head, he really didn't want to go home.**

"Harry, sweetheart, don't worry. You are a wizard. You belong at Hogwarts" Him mother comforted him. He nodded. But until her heard what house he was in, he would continue to worry.

**When Neville Longbottom, the boy who kept losing his toad, was called,**

**he fell over on his way to the stool. The hat took a long time to decide**

**with Neville. When it finally shouted, "GRYFFINDOR," Neville ran off**

**still wearing it, and had to jog back amid gales of laughter to give it**

**to "MacDougal, Morag."**

**Malfoy swaggered forward when his name was called and got his wish at**

**once: the hat had barely touched his head when it screamed, "SLYTHERIN!"**

**Malfoy went to join his friends Crabbe and Goyle, looking pleased with**

**himself.**

**There weren't many people left now. "Moon" "Nott" "Parkinson" then a**

**pair of twin girls, "Patil" and "Patil" then "Perks, Sally-Anne" and**

**then, at last - "Potter, Harry!"**

Harry gulped loudly, his nerves had been building up to this point.

The rest of the room, were sitting on the edges of their seats waiting a little impatiently

**As Harry stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little**

**hissing fires all over the hall.**

**"Potter, did she say?"**

**The Harry Potter?"**

**The last thing Harry saw before the hat dropped over his eyes was the**

**hall full of people craning to get a good look at him. Next second he was looking at the black inside of the hat. He waited.**

**Hmm," said a small voice in his ear. "Difficult. Very difficult. Plenty**

**of courage, I see. Not a bad mind either. There's talent, A my goodness,**

**yes - and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting...**

**So where shall I put you?"**

**Harry gripped the edges of the stool and thought, Not Slytherin, not**

**Slytherin.**

**"Not Slytherin, eh?" said the small voice. "Are you sure? You could be**

**great, you know, it's all here in your head, and Slytherin will help you**

**on the way to greatness, no doubt about that - no? Well, if you're sure**

**- better be**

The were some unintelligible noises round the room. Dumbledore look at Harry with a strange look on his face, could this be more evidence of his theory. Maybe it was true.

Severus, Look at Harry for a few minutes, Hmm maybe not so much like his father after all. If the hat considered him for Slytherin. He hoped the boy would be put in his house, it would mean he could protect the boy better. After all he had promised Dumbledore he would do so, and he promised Lilly years ago when they were children he would do anything for her.

Prongs, Padfoot and Mooney were is complete shock. Prongs couldn't believe it. HIS son being considered for Slytherin. Both he and Lilly had be true Gryffindor's at heart.

It was Draco that broke the silence

"Well Harry, if you are in Slytherin, I will make sure you have plenty of friends" The offer was a sincere one, Harry appreciated it. He nodded his thanks to Draco. But he still had his heart set on Gryffindor

**"GRYFFINDOR!**" Amelia shouted

The room burst into applause, Prongs fell back against the chair the relief written all over his face.

"Congratulation Mr Potter" Dumbledore & Mcgongall said.

Ron and Hermione couldn't believe their luck at least they would be together at school. Hermione was really hoping she was friends with these two boys. She never had friends at her muggle school. Because she was clever. They had called her a book worm, and a nerd or teachers pet. She didn't do it on purpose, she just enjoyed learning.

Amelia let the room settle down a bit more before she continued to read.

**Harry heard the hat shout the last word to the whole hall. He took off**

**the hat and walked shakily toward the Gryffindor table. He was so**

**relieved to have been chosen and not put in Slytherin, he hardly noticed**

**that he was getting the loudest cheer yet. Percy the Prefect got up and**

**shook his hand vigorously, while the Weasley twins yelled, "We got**

**Potter! We got Potter!" Harry sat down opposite the ghost in the ruff**

**he'd seen earlier. The ghost patted his arm, giving Harry the sudden,**

**horrible feeling he'd just plunged it into a bucket of ice-cold water.**

**He could see the High Table properly now. At the end nearest him sat**

**Hagrid, who caught his eye and gave him the thumbs up. Harry grinned**

**back. And there, in the center of the High Table, in a large gold chair,**

**sat Albus Dumbledore. Harry recognized him at once from the card he'd**

**gotten out of the Chocolate Frog on the train. Dumbledore's silver hair**

**was the only thing in the whole hall that shone as brightly as the**

**ghosts. Harry spotted Professor Quirtell, too, the nervous young man**

**from the Leaky Cauldron. He was looking very peculiar in a large purple**

**turban.**

**And now there were only three people left to be sorted. "Thomas, Dean,"**

**a Black boy even taller than Ron, joined Harry at the Gryffindor table.**

**"Turpin, Lisa," became a Ravenclaw and then it was Ron's turn. He was**

**pale green by now. Harry crossed his fingers under the table and a**

**second later the hat had shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!"**

Again the room gave a small round of applause, Ron was congratulated by his whole family, and the professors. But the congratulations he liked the most was the ones from Harry, and Hermione.

Rose and Lilly were smiling widely at this. And Scorpius stage whispered to James and Al.

"And that is where the story of the golden trio begins...Really?" James shook his head.

"The golden what?" Asked Prongs and Lilly together

it was Hugo that answered "that's what mum, dad and uncle Harry. Become known as. Later on" he explained, he loved dropping tip bits of information. He knew that Sirius would have loved it, and so would Dumbledore. He cast his eyes around the room, and true enough the old man sat there eyes twinkling madly with a smile on his face.

Sirius cracked up laughing, "the golden trio..." more laughing. He pushed Prongs slightly

"Think your son got the better name for him and his friends. It perfect, and very Gryfinndor too. Why didn't we thing of something like that?" he asked his friends his laughter under control now

The both shook their heads. "if I am not mistaken, it was Remus that came up with the name of our group" Prongs said smiling at his other friend. Remus put his head down, a quiet giggle escaping his lips.

**Harry clapped loudly with the rest as Ron collapsed into the chair next**

**to him.**

**"Well done, Ron, excellent," said Percy Weasley Pompously across Harry**

**as "Zabini, Blaise," was made a Slytherin. Professor McGonagall rolled**

**up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away.**

**Harry looked down at his empty gold plate. He had only just realized how**

**hungry he was. The pumpkin pasties seemed ages ago.**

**Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at the students,**

**his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to**

**see them all there.**

**"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin**

**our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit!**

**Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!**

The room giggled, and all eyes turned to Dumbledore who chuckled.

"Really Albus, why do you do that?" Minerva asked the old man she had called friend for 40 years. She found this quiet amusing.

"Why not my dear Minerva, it keeps the children happy, and I do enjoy the sound of children laughing" he replied.

**"Thank you!"**

**He sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered. Harry didn't know**

**whether to laugh or not.**

**"Is he - a bit mad?" he asked Percy uncertainly.**

**"Mad?" said Percy airily. "He's a genius! Best wizard in the world! But**

**he is a bit mad, yes. Potatoes, Harry?"**

"Thank you Mr weasley" Dumbledore said to Percy chuckling, who was trying very hard to hid his head.

**Harry's mouth fell open. The dishes in front of him were now piled with**

**food. He had never seen so many things he liked to eat on one table:**

**roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon**

**and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding,**

**peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and, for some strange reason, peppermint**

**humbugs.**

**The Dursleys had never exactly starved Harry, but he'd never been**

**allowed to eat as much as he liked. Dudley had always taken anything**

**that Harry really wanted, even if It made him sick. Harry piled his**

**plate with a bit of everything except the peppermints and began to eat.**

**It was all delicious**

**"That does look good," said the ghost in the ruff sadly, watching Harry**

**cut up his steak,**

**"Can't you -?"**

**I haven't eaten for nearly four hundred years," said the ghost. "I don't**

**need to, of course, but one does miss it. I don't think I've introduced**

**myself? Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington at your service. Resident ghost**

**of Gryffindor Tower."**

**"I know who you are!" said Ron suddenly. "My brothers told me about you**

-**- you're Nearly Headless Nick!"**

"Oh now you've you done Ronnie boy, Nick hates being called that" Called Sirius. Watching the boys face turn as red as his hair

"What?" Ron yelled

"you 'll see" said Prongs.

**"I would prefer you to call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy -" the ghost began**

**stiffly, but sandy-haired Seamus Finnigan interrupted.**

**"Nearly Headless? How can you be nearly headless?"**

**Sir Nicholas looked extremely miffed, as if their little chat wasn't**

**going at all the way he wanted.**

**"Like this," he said irritably. He seized his left ear and pulled. His**

**whole head swung off his neck and fell onto his shoulder as if it was on**

**a hinge. Someone had obviously tried to behead him, but not done it**

**properly. Looking pleased at the stunned looks on their faces, Nearly**

**Headless Nick flipped his head back onto his neck, coughed, and said,**

**"So - new Gryffindors! I hope you're going to help us win the house**

**championship this year? Gryffindors have never gone so long without**

**winning. Slytherins have got the cup six years in a row! The Bloody**

**Baron's becoming almost unbearable - he's the Slytherin ghost."**

All the kids in the room made disgusted noise. While the adults laughed at their response, most of them had acted the same way, when they first met nick.

"Do Gryffindor win the house cup this year? " Prongs asked of the future kids. The just smiled in return.

**Harry looked over at the Slytherin table and saw a horrible ghost**

**sitting there, with blank staring eyes, a gaunt face, and robes stained**

**with silver blood. He was right next to Malfoy who, Harry was pleased to**

**see, didn't look too pleased with the seating arrangements.**

**"How did he get covered in blood?" asked Seamus with great interest.**

"No one knows, Sirius asked him in second year, the Baron howled at him." Mooney explained

"yeah, then decided to followed padfoot round for days, scaring the hell out of him, poor padfoot nearly had a heart attack" Prongs laughed out.

There where a few giggles round the room, Sirius look white

The kids from the future smiled knowingly.

"YOU KNOW!" shouted Sirius. The laughed

"tell us" Prongs asked.

The all shook their heads.

"it gets explained as some point" Said Scorpius

**"I've never asked," said Nearly Headless Nick delicately.**

**When everyone had eaten as much as they could, the remains of the food**

**faded from the plates, leaving them sparkling clean as before. A moment**

**later the desserts appeared. Blocks of ice cream in every flavor you**

**could think of, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate eclairs and jam**

**doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, Jell-O, rice pudding - "**

**As Harry helped himself to a treacle tart, the talk turned to their**

**families.**

**"I'm half-and-half," said Seamus. "Me dad's a Muggle. Mom didn't tell**

**him she was a witch 'til after they were married. Bit of a nasty shock**

**for him."**

**The others laughed.**

**"What about you, Neville?" said Ron.**

**"Well, my gran brought me up and she's a witch," said Neville, "but the**

**family thought I was all- Muggle for ages. My Great Uncle Algie kept**

**trying to catch me off my guard and force some magic out of me - he**

**pushed me off the end of Blackpool pier once, I nearly drowned - but**

**nothing happened until I was eight. Great Uncle Algie came round for**

**dinner, and he was hanging me out of an upstairs window by the ankles**

**when my Great Auntie Enid offered him a meringue and he accidentally let**

**go. But I bounced - all the way down the garden and into the road. They**

**were all really pleased, Gran was crying, she was so happy. And you**

**should have seen their faces when I got in here - they thought I might**

**not be magic enough to come, you see. Great Uncle Algie was so pleased**

**he bought me my toad."**

"Well, your mother was a bit of a late bloomer, Mr Longbottom, you have nothing to worry about." said Minerva offering the the boy, some comfort. Neville relaxed.

"yeah, Neville, you are brilliant at magic" Al said with a look at his brother, asking a silent question. James nodded and Al continued

"Neville, you become a professor at Hogwarts, you teach herbology, you are nearly everyone's favourite teacher" Al said, with much enthusiasm. Al loved herbology. Partly because of how Neville taught it, but because he found it required more theory than, practical work. He loved potions too despite his Aunt teaching him.

Neville looked pure white, him teach. How was that even possible?, Luna smiled at the boy and he felt a sudden rush of pride. This girl was having a strange effect on him, and he didn't understand it.

**On Harry's other side, Percy Weasley and Hermione were talking about**

**lessons ("I do hope they start right away, there's so much to learn, I'm**

**particularly interested in Transfiguration, you know, turning something**

**into something else, of course, it's supposed to be very difficult-";**

**"You'll be starting small, just matches into needles and that sort of**

**thing - ").**

"wow!" Hermione cheered. She was very edger to give it a try.

Lilly saw the look on her face, she remembered feeling the same way, she felt a connection with this young girl, she was so much like her in so many ways.

"I can you show you later, if you like Hermione, or perhaps Minerva might, she is the transfiguration professor, She really is the best at what she does" Lilly offered, Minerva smiled.

She had always though of Lilly Evans as one of her favourite students. Although she never said it out loud, she was very fond of the marauders too. They did make her laugh. Their years at school were some of the happiest she had.

"Of course Miss Granger, I would be delighted to show you, perhaps Lilly and I could give you a small demonstration of the things you will be learning" Minerva said, She was now in professor mode.

**Harry, who was starting to feel warm and sleepy, looked up at**

**the High Table again. Hagrid was drinking deeply from his goblet.**

**Professor McGonagall was talking to Professor Dumbledore. Professor**

**Quirrell, in his absurd turban, was talking to a teacher with greasy**

**black hair, a hooked nose, and sallow skin.**

**It happened very suddenly. The hook-nosed teacher looked past Quirrell's**

**turban straight into Harry's eyes - and a sharp, hot pain shot across**

**the scar on Harry's forehead.**

Several sets of eyebrows lifted, and all faces turned to look at Harry.

"Has this happened before? " Mooney asked before Lilly or James could even register what they had just read.

Harry shook his head.

"If it does you must tell someone right away, okay Harry?, Promise me you will tell someone?" Mooney asked quickly, it felt urgent that Harry told someone, so they could figure out what that scar was all about. Harry nodded again quickly.

**"Ouch!" Harry clapped a hand to his head.**

**"What is it?" asked Percy.**

**"N-nothing."**

**The pain had gone as quickly as it had come. Harder to shake off was the**

**feeling Harry had gotten from the teacher's look - a feeling that he**

**didn't like Harry at all.**

**"Who's that teacher talking to Professor Quirrell?" he asked Percy.**

**Oh, you know Quirrell already, do you? No wonder he's looking so**

**nervous, that's Professor Snape. He teaches Potions, but he doesn't want**

**to - everyone knows he's after Quirrell's job. Knows an awful lot about**

**the Dark Arts, Snape."**

**Harry watched Snape for a while, but Snape didn't look at him again.**

"Sev, you are going to be completely horrible to my son aren't you? " Lilly asked, sadness in her tone.

She had a feeling that, Sev wouldn't be happy with her. He hated James Potter with a passion. And now looking at Harry she could see just how much he looked like his father. Sev was going to hate Harry because of that.

"Since it hasn't happened yet for me I cannot say for sure, but yes I suspect I will not treat Harry completely fairly" Severus said. Hating that he could do this to her son. But if Dumbledore was right it was for the best.

**At last, the desserts too disappeared, and Professor Dumbledore got to**

**his feet again. The hall fell silent.**

**"Ahern - just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I**

**have a few start-of-term notices to give you.**

**"First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to**

**all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember**

**that as well."**

**Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley**

**twins.**

Molly glared at her boys, "what have you done now?" she asked.

Dumbledore chuckled slightly. He stopped when Molly's glare moved to him.

"Nothing to worry about Molly, they have always been under a watchful eye" Dumbledore explained, to the onlooker he was calm and composed, but under the surface, he was more than wary of Molly weasley. She had a temper that even he wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of.

"I am warning you boys, you go near the forest again. And you wont step foot in Hogwarts. Do you understand me?" she threatened

The twins gulped and nodded.

**"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all**

**that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.**

**"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone**

**interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch.**

**"And finally, I must tell you that this year, the third-floor corridor**

**on the right-hand side is out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to**

**die a very painful death."**

**Harry laughed, but he was one of the few who did.**

**"He's not serious?" he muttered to Percy.**

**"Must be," said Percy, frowning at Dumbledore. "It's odd, because he**

**usually gives us a reason why we're not allowed to go somewhere - the**

**forest's full of dangerous beasts, everyone knows that. I do think he**

**might have told us prefects, at least."**

**"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried**

**Dumbledore. Harry noticed that the other teachers' smiles had become**

**rather fixed.**

**Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick, as if he was trying to get a**

**fly off the end, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose**

**high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words.**

Prongs, Padfoot and the weasley twins jumped to the feet and sang.

Many women in the room looked like they would slap the hell out of them, but couldn't help laughing

**"Everyone pick their favorite tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!"**

**And the school bellowed:**

**"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,**

**Teach us something please,**

**Whether we be old and bald**

**Or young with scabby knees,**

**Our heads could do with filling**

**With some interesting stuff,**

**For now they're bare and full of air,**

**Dead flies and bits of fluff,**

**So teach us things worth knowing,**

**Bring back what we've forgot,**

**just do your best, we'll do the rest,**

**And learn until our brains all rot.**

"Wonderful boys, just wonderful" Dumbledore cheered. Clapping loudly. The rest of the room was in various stages of laughter.

**Everybody finished the song at different times. At last, only the**

**Weasley twins were left singing along to a very slow funeral march.**

**Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they**

**had finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest.**

**"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here!**

**And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"**

**The Gryffindor first years followed Percy through the chattering crowds,**

**out of the Great Hall, and up the marble staircase. Harry's legs were**

**like lead again, but only because he was so tired and full of food. He**

**was too sleepy even to be surprised that the people in the portraits**

**along the corridors whispered and pointed as they passed, or that twice**

**Percy led them through doorways hidden behind sliding panels and hanging**

**tapestries. They climbed more staircases, yawning and dragging their**

**feet, and Harry was just wondering how much farther they had to go when**

**they came to a sudden halt.**

**A bundle of walking sticks was floating in midair ahead of them, and as**

**Percy took a step toward them they started throwing themselves at him.**

**"Peeves," Percy whispered to the first years. "A poltergeist." He raised**

**his voice, "Peeves - show yourself"**

**A loud, rude sound, like the air being let out of a balloon, answered.**

**"Do you want me to go to the Bloody Baron?"**

**There was a pop, and a little man with wicked, dark eyes and a wide**

**mouth appeared, floating cross- legged in the air, clutching the walking**

**sticks.**

**"Oooooooh!" he said, with an evil cackle. "Ickle Firsties! What fun!"**

**He swooped suddenly at them. They all ducked.**

**"Go away, Peeves, or the Baron'll hear about this, I mean it!" barked**

**Percy.**

**Peeves stuck out his tongue and vanished, dropping the walking sticks on**

**Neville's head. They heard him zooming away, rattling coats of armor as**

**he passed.**

**"You want to watch out for Peeves," said Percy, as they set off again.**

**"The Bloody Baron's the only one who can control him, he won't even**

**listen to us prefects. Here we are."**

**At the very end of the corridor hung a portrait of a very fat woman in a**

**pink silk dress.**

**"Password?" she said. "Caput Draconis," said Percy, and the portrait**

**swung forward to reveal a round hole in the wall. They all scrambled**

**through it - Neville needed a leg up - and found themselves in the**

**Gryffindor common room, a cozy, round room full of squashy armchairs.**

**Percy directed the girls through one door to their dormitory and the**

**boys through another. At the top of a spiral staircase - they were**

**obviously in one of the towers - they found their beds at last: five**

**four-posters hung with deep red, velvet curtains. Their trunks had**

**already been brought up. Too tired to talk much, they pulled on their**

**pajamas and fell into bed.**

**" Great food, isn't it?" Ron muttered to Harry through the hangings.**

**"Get off, Scabbers! He's chewing my sheets."**

**Harry was going to ask Ron if he'd had any of the treacle tart, but he**

**fell asleep almost at once.**

**Perhaps Harry had eaten a bit too much, because he had a very strange**

**dream. He was wearing Professor Quirrell's turban, which kept talking to**

**him, telling him he must transfer to Slytherin at once, because it was**

**his destiny. Harry told the turban he didn't want to be in Slytherin; it**

**got heavier and heavier; he tried to pull it off but it tightened**

**painfully - and there was Malfoy, laughing at him as he struggled with**

**it -then Malfoy turned into the hook-nosed teacher, Snape, whose laugh**

**became high and cold - there was a burst of green light and Harry woke,**

**sweating and shaking.**

**He rolled over and fell asleep again, and when he woke next day, he**

**didn't remember the dream at all.**

"The chapter is over" Said Amelia.

Harry yawned.

"Maybe we should get some sleep" Molly said, watching the golden trio look around sleepily.

James spoke " there are two bedroom here, we have extended each room with enough bed for everyone. Since you cannot leave the cottage. All the boys are on the right and the girls are on the left. " He pointed to the rooms labelled boys and girls.

The gather group made their way to the room, and got changed for bed. Small conversations broke out between the groups.

"so, Son. How do you like the book? Are you looking forward to go to Hogwarts?" Prongs asked

Harry looked " It sounds great, dad. What is going to happen next? I mean after you and mum...?" he couldn't finish the sentence he didn't want to think about it.

The rest of the men in the room, moved to the other end giving Prongs and Harry some space

"Well son. I'm not sure, I don't know how we can change this, but if anything does happen to your mother and I, Remus and Molly will raise you, and now matter what happens your mother and I will, always love you, and will be very proud of you. You will be a great wizard". Prongs pulled his son to him. He just wanted to hold him. The stood both just clinging to one of the things they never wanted to live without.

The murmurs in the room brought the potter boys back to their surroundings.

" go get ready for bed son" prongs said. Harry nodded and headed towards Ron. They began whispering and laughing. Neville join in, and Draco not long after. Soon all four boys were laughing hard. Dudley watching jealous. He had always been the centre of attention, he was used to getting everything and anything he wanted. Now in this place he was nothing compared to Harry. It was all about Harry. Then he thought about dinner, His aunt Lilly. She had been so nice to him. Treated him like Harry. would it be so bad to try and get on with Harry, sure he was a wizard, he might even show him some cool tricks.

Meanwhile in the girls room, Hermione had stuck close to Lilly.

"Mrs Potter, I know I shouldn't ask, but what is going to happen to Harry? I mean after" she couldn't finish the sentence she had tears in her eyes. She was so happy to have friends, but she didn't want to watch Harry suffer the loss of his parents.

Lilly pulled Hermione to her arms. She felt the pain the girl was feeling, because she was feeling it herself.

"Well Hermione, we have asked Remus and Molly to look after him. But if we can change, what has happened we will. " she said. Both girls had tears in their eyes. Molly rushed over and hugged both of them.

"Maybe we should get some sleep, dears, I'm sure it will be a long day tomorrow" she said kindly.

Soon all the girls were wrapped up under their covers whispering


	12. Chapter 12

**Another new chapter, Hope you enjoy. Thanks for reading. Valfreya**

Chapter twelve.

The next morning Molly was in the kitchen, making a very large breakfast for the inhabitant of the cottage. Molly had agreed to let the children sleep late. While she was humming to herself Arthur watched from the door way. She loved his wife dearly. He though about what Lilly and James had asked her to do. Of course she gave it no thought what so ever. She had offered to care for the boy. This was one of the many reason he loved her. It was her caring heart.

"Morning dear" he called he walked over to the large table and sat down. Normally he would be reading the prophet with his coffee. But since he doubted it would get delivered he settled for watching his wife in the kitchen. She gave him a loving smile as she set down a cup in front of him.

"breakfast will be ready soon, I will go and wake the children" she said, leaving the kitchen

she went first to the boys room, knowing how difficult it was to get them up at the best of times.

"C'mon boys get up" she called Neville and Draco were the first to acknowledge her.

"Morning Mrs Weasley" Draco called. Neville moaned a greeting as well.

Harry was next to stir, along with her grandchildren. Soon all the boys apart from Sirius and Ron. The rest were getting dressed.

Next Molly moved to the girls room

"Morning Girls, time for breakfast" she said opening the door to a humming of conversations. All the girls were in various states of readiness. The girls all acknowledged Molly.

She made her way back to the kitchen to finish breakfast, when she got there she found Dumbledore sitting there.

"So what, is the plan? How will resolve this situation?" she asked a little too harshly.

Dumbledore, looked thoughtfully at the table. While Molly placed breakfast in front of him.

He knew the dangers of time travel and changing the past. He knew all to well that there was some things that couldn't be changed no matter how much they tried. These 'fixed points' were fates way of ensuring the delicate balance that holds everything together.

" Well Molly, that is difficult to answer, this is a reason why wizard's are forbidden to meddle with time. Its not just in case of the grandfather paradox. It is because of something called 'fixed points' have you heard of them" he asked of the group at large

Remus who had just joined the group and was taking a cup of coffee from Molly said " I know a little" Dumbledore indicated that he should continue.

"Well a fixed point, is an event, that has to occur, it cannot be changed or stopped. If averted it will simply happen another way. Are you saying that there are some things in these book that cannot be changed? Remus looked at Dumbledore who nodded glumly. It too a minute but finally the gathered people understood Lilly and James Potter had to die.. it was a fixed point.

Suddenly, there was a hurricane of sound, coming from the bedrooms. Everyone fixed the faces into welcoming smiles.

Soon the cottage was filled with the smell of a lovely breakfast and excited chatter.

Al spoke up, " you know these books cover all of dad's 7 years at school. Maybe we should try and pick up the pace." nods of agreement followed this suggestion.

Soon everyone was once again gathered round the living room and Amelia picked up the book.

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

**THE POTIONS MASTER**

**There, look."**

**"Where?"**

**"Next to the tall kid with the red hair."**

**"Wearing the glasses?"**

**"Did you see his face?"**

**"Did you see his scar?"**

**Whispers followed Harry from the moment he left his dormitory the next**

**day. People lining up outside classrooms stood on tiptoe to get a look**

**at him, or doubled back to pass him in the corridors again, staring.**

**Harry wished they wouldn't, because he was trying to concentrate on**

**finding his way to classes.**

**There were a hundred and forty-two staircases at Hogwarts: wide,**

**sweeping ones; narrow, rickety ones; some that led somewhere different**

**on a Friday; some with a vanishing step halfway up that you had to**

**remember to jump. Then there were doors that wouldn't open unless you**

**asked politely, or tickled them in exactly the right place, and doors**

**that weren't really doors at all, but solid walls just pretending. It**

**was also very hard to remember where anything was, because it all seemed**

**to move around a lot. The people in the portraits kept going to visit**

**each other, and Harry was sure the coats of armor could walk.**

**The ghosts didn't help, either. It was always a nasty shock when one of**

**them glided suddenly through a door you were trying to open. Nearly**

**Headless Nick was always happy to point new Gryffindors in the right**

**direction, but Peeves the Poltergeist was worth two locked doors and a**

**trick staircase if you met him when you were late for class. He would**

**drop waste paper baskets on your head, pull rugs from under your feet,**

**pelt you with bits of chalk, or sneak up behind you, invisible, grab**

**your nose, and screech, "GOT YOUR CONK!"**

**Even worse than Peeves, if that was possible, was the caretaker, Argus**

**Filch. Harry and Ron managed to get on the wrong side of him on their**

**very first morning. Filch found them trying to force their way through a**

**door that unluckily turned out to be the entrance to the out-of-bounds**

**corridor on the third floor. He wouldn't believe they were lost, was**

**sure they were trying to break into it on purpose, and was threatening**

**to lock them in the dungeons when they were rescued by Professor**

**Quirrell, who was passing.**

**Filch owned a cat called Mrs. Norris, a scrawny, dust-colored creature**

**with bulging, lamp like eyes just like Filch's. She patrolled the**

**corridors alone. Break a rule in front of her, put just one toe out of**

**line, and she'd whisk off for Filch, who'd appear, wheezing, two seconds**

**later. Filch knew the secret passageways of the school better than**

**anyone (except perhaps the Weasley twins) and could pop up as suddenly**

**as any of the ghosts. The students all hated him, and it was the dearest**

**ambition of many to give Mrs. Norris a good kick.**

**And then, once you had managed to find them, there were the classes**

**themselves. There was a lot more to magic, as Harry quickly found out,**

**than waving your wand and saying a few funny words.**

**They had to study the night skies through their telescopes every**

**Wednesday at midnight and learn the names of different stars and the**

**movements of the planets. Three times a week they went out to the**

**greenhouses behind the castle to study Herbology, with a dumpy little**

**witch called Professor Sprout, where they learned how to take care of**

**all the strange plants and fungi, and found out what they were used for.**

**Easily the most boring class was History of Magic, which was the only**

**one taught by a ghost. Professor Binns had been very old**

**indeed when he had fallen asleep in front of the staff room fire and got**

**up next morning to teach, leaving his body behind him. Binns droned on**

**and on while they scribbled down names and dates, and got Emetic the**

**Evil and Uric the Oddball mixed up.**

**Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, was a tiny little wizard who had**

**to stand on a pile of books to see over his desk. At the start of their**

**first class he took the roll call, and when he reached Harry's name he**

**gave an excited squeak and toppled out of sight.**

**Professor McGonagall was again different. Harry had been quite right to**

**think she wasn't a teacher to cross. Strict and clever, she gave them a**

**talking-to the moment they sat down in her first class.**

**"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you**

**will learn at Hogwarts," she said. "Anyone messing around in my class**

**will leave and not come back. You have been warned."**

**Then she changed her desk into a pig and back again. They were all very**

**impressed and couldn't wait to get started, but soon realized they**

**weren't going to be changing the furniture into animals for a long time.**

**After taking a lot of complicated notes, they were each given a match**

**and started trying to turn it into a needle. By the end of the lesson,**

**only Hermione Granger had made any difference to her match; Professor**

**McGonagall showed the class how it had gone all silver and pointy and**

**gave Hermione a rare smile.**

"See Hermione, you have nothing to worry about, it's not often Minerva is impressed with a student" said Lilly.

Hermione beamed

**The class everyone had really been looking forward to was Defense**

**Against the Dark Arts, but Quirrell's lessons turned out to be a bit of**

**a joke. His classroom smelled strongly of garlic, which everyone said**

**was to ward off a vampire he'd met in Romania and was afraid would be**

**coming back to get him one of these days. His turban, he told them, had**

**been given to him by an African prince as a thank-you for getting rid of**

**a troublesome zombie, but they weren't sure they believed this story.**

**For one thing, when Seamus Finnigan asked eagerly to hear how Quirrell**

**had fought off the zombie, Quirrell went pink and started talking about**

**the weather; for another, they had noticed that a funny smell hung**

**around the turban, and the Weasley twins insisted that it was stuffed**

**full of garlic as well, so that Quirrell was protected wherever he went.**

**Harry was very relieved to find out that he wasn't miles behind everyone**

**else. Lots of people had come from Muggle families and, like him, hadn't**

**had any idea that they were witches and wizards. There was so much to**

**learn that even people like Ron didn't have much of a head start.**

**Harry was very relieved to find out that he wasn't miles behind everyone**

**else. Lots of people had come from Muggle families and, like him, hadn't**

**had any idea that they were witches and wizards. There was so much to**

**learn that even people like Ron didn't have much of a head start.**

**Friday was an important day for Harry and Ron. They finally managed to**

**find their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast without getting lost**

**once.**

**"What have we got today?" Harry asked Ron as he poured sugar on his**

**porridge.**

**"Double Potions with the Slytherins," said Ron. "Snape's Head of**

**Slytherin House. They say he always favors them - we'll be able to see**

**if it's true."**

**"Wish McGonagall favored us, " said Harry. Professor McGonagall was head**

**of Gryffindor House, but it hadn't stopped her from giving them a huge**

**pile of homework the day before.**

" I do not favour any student Mr Potter, how ever I am fair. If you do something worthy of credit, I will recognise it, how ever if you misbehave, as you father and his friends did, you will be punished" Minerva informed her future student. Prongs and said friends, snickered while Harry paled slightly.

**Just then, the mail arrived. Harry had gotten used to this by now, but**

**it had given him a bit of a shock on the first morning, when about a**

**hundred owls had suddenly streamed into the Great Hall during breakfast, circling the tables until they saw their owners, and dropping letters**

**and packages onto their laps.**

**Hedwig hadn't brought Harry anything so far. She sometimes flew in to**

**nibble his ear and have a bit of toast before going off to sleep in the**

**owlery with the other school owls. This morning, however, she fluttered**

**down between the marmalade and the sugar bowl and dropped a note onto**

**Harry's plate. Harry tore it open at once. It said, in a very untidy**

**scrawl:**

**Dear Harry,**

**I know you get Friday afternoons off, so would you like to come and have**

**a cup of tea with me around three?**

**I want to hear all about your first week. Send us an answer back with**

**Hedwig.**

**Hagrid**

**Harry borrowed Ron's quill, scribbled Yes, please, see you later on the**

**back of the note, and sent Hedwig off again.**

**It was lucky that Harry had tea with Hagrid to look forward to, because**

**the Potions lesson turned out to be the worst thing that had happened to**

**him so far.**

**At the start-of-term banquet, Harry had gotten the idea that Professor**

**Snape disliked him. By the end of the first Potions lesson, he knew he'd**

**been wrong. Snape didn't dislike Harry - he hated him.**

**Potions lessons took place down in one of the dungeons. It was colder**

**here than up in the main castle, and would have been quite creepy enough**

**without the pickled animals floating in glass jars all around the walls.**

**Snape, like Flitwick, started the class by taking the roll call, and**

**like Flitwick, he paused at Harry's name.**

**"Ah, Yes," he said softly, "Harry Potter. Our new - celebrity."**

**Draco Malfoy and his friends Crabbe and Goyle sniggered behind their hands. **

**Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class. His**

**eyes were black like Hagrid's, but they had none of Hagrid's warmth.**

**They were cold and empty and made you think of dark tunnels.**

**"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of**

**potionmaking," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but**

**they caught every word - like Professor McGonagall, Snape had y caught**

**every word - like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a**

**class silent without effort. "As there is little foolish wand-waving**

**here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you**

**will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with**

**its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through**

**human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach**

**you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death - if you aren't**

**as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."**

**More silence followed this little speech. Harry and Ron exchanged looks**

**with raised eyebrows. Hermione Granger was on the edge of her seat and**

**looked desperate to start proving that she wasn't a dunderhead.**

**"Potter!" said Snape suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered**

**root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" **

There were a few hisses around the room.

"Snape, that isn't fair, you know that isn't a first year question, stop singling out Harry just because of his parent Lilly scolded.

Snape lowered his eyes from hers. She only ever called him Snape when she was pissed at him and he knew it. Prongs, Padfoot and Mooney agreed with her, by glaring at him.

**Powdered root of what to an infusion of what? Harry glanced at Ron, who**

**looked as stumped as he was; Hermione's hand had shot into the air.**

**"I don't know, sir," said Harry.**

**Snape's lips curled into a sneer.**

**"Tut, tut - fame clearly isn't everything."**

**He ignored Hermione's hand.**

**"Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me**

**a bezoar?"**

**Hermione stretched her hand as high into the air as it would go without**

**her leaving her seat, but Harry didn't have the faintest idea what a**

**bezoar was. He tried not to look at Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, who were**

**shaking with laughter.**

Draco lowered his head, ashamed of his behaviour. He had a feeling it was going to get worse before it got better. If he had just ignored his fathers teachings, and decided for himself he would have, made friends with Harry.

Narcissa looked at her son, she had always wanted Draco to grow up, to make his own choices, and not follow in his fathers foot steps, she knew the name Malfoy was inspired fear in many wizards, she didn't want that. She had always thought that when she married Lucius she could have changed his ways but she didn't have any luck, Lucius had broken her will. She vowed now that Draco would never be broken. He would stand up to his father. And become his own man.

**"I don't know, sir."**

**"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter?" Harry forced himself to keep looking straight into those cold eyes. He had looked through his books at the Dursleys', but did Snape expect him to remember everything in One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi?**

**Snape was still ignoring Hermione's quivering hand.**

**"What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?"**

**At this, Hermione stood up, her hand stretching toward the dungeon**

**ceiling.**

**"I don't know," said Harry quietly. "I think Hermione does, though, why**

**don't you try her?"**

Severus sighed he wasn't going to like that.

"Harry, that was not the best thing to say, I believe I will not respond well to that, although you are quiet right, I should have asked Hermione, I have no doubt she would have given the right answer" Snape said, giving the pair a brief smile. Something that felt odd on his face.

**A few people laughed; Harry caught Seamus's eye, and Seamus winked.**

**Snape, however, was not pleased.**

**"Sit down," he snapped at Hermione. "For your information, Potter,**

**asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as**

**the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach**

**of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and**

**wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of**

**aconite. Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?"**

**There was a sudden rummaging for quills and parchment. Over the noise,**

**Snape said, "And a point will be taken from Gryffindor House for your**

**cheek, Potter."**

**Things didn't improve for the Gryffindors as the Potions lesson**

**continued. Snape put them all into pairs and set them to mixing up a**

**simple potion to cure boils. He swept around in his long black cloak,**

**watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, criticizing**

**almost everyone except Malfoy, whom he seemed to like. He was just**

**telling everyone to look at the perfect way Malfoy had stewed his horned**

**slugs when clouds of acid green smoke and a loud hissing filled the**

**dungeon. Neville had somehow managed to melt Seamus's cauldron into a**

**twisted blob, and their potion was seeping across the stone floor,**

**burning holes in people's shoes. Within seconds, the whole class was**

**standing on their stools while Neville, who had been drenched in the**

**potion when the cauldron collapsed, moaned in pain as angry red boils**

**sprang up all over his arms and legs.**

"Ah, Mr Longbottom, potions doesn't appear to be your strong point, if you wish I will give you extra lessons" Snape offered hoping, the boy would accept.

**"Idiot boy!" snarled Snape, clearing the spilled potion away with one**

**wave of his wand. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills before**

**taking the cauldron off the fire?"**

**Neville whimpered as boils started to pop up all over his nose.**

**"Take him up to the hospital wing," Snape spat at Seamus. Then he**

**rounded on Harry and Ron, who had been working next to Neville.**

**"You - Potter - why didn't you tell him not to add the quills? Thought**

**he'd make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That's another**

**point you've lost for Gryffindor."**

**This was so unfair that Harry opened his mouth to argue, but Ron kicked**

**him behind their cauldron.**

**"Don't push it," he muttered, "I've heard Snape can turn very nasty."**

**As they climbed the steps out of the dungeon an hour later, Harry's mind**

**was racing and his spirits were low. He'd lost two points for Gryffindor**

**in his very first week - why did Snape hate him so much? "Cheer up,"**

**said Ron, "Snape's always taking points off Fred and George. Can I come**

**and meet Hagrid with you?"**

**At five to three they left the castle and made their way across the**

**grounds. Hagrid lived in a small wooden house on the edge of the**

**forbidden forest. A crossbow and a pair of galoshes were outside the**

**front door.**

**When Harry knocked they heard a frantic scrabbling from inside and**

**several booming barks. Then Hagrid's voice rang out, saying, "Back, Fang**

**- back."**

**Hagrid's big, hairy face appeared in the crack as he pulled the door**

**open.**

**"Hang on," he said. "Back, Fang."**

**He let them in, struggling to keep a hold on the collar of an enormous**

**black boarhound.**

**There was only one room inside. Hams and pheasants were hanging from the**

**ceiling, a copper kettle was boiling on the open fire, and in the corner stood a massive bed with a patchwork quilt over it.**

**"Make yerselves at home," said Hagrid, letting go of Fang, who bounded**

**straight at Ron and started licking his ears. Like Hagrid, Fang was**

**clearly not as fierce as he looked.**

**"This is Ron," Harry told Hagrid, who was pouring boiling water into a**

**large teapot and putting rock cakes onto a plate.**

**"Another Weasley, eh?" said Hagrid, glancing at Ron's freckles. I spent**

**half me life chasin' yer twin brothers away from the forest."**

**The rock cakes were shapeless lumps with raisins that almost broke their**

**teeth, but Harry and Ron pretended to be enjoying them as they told**

**Hagrid all about their first -lessons. Fang rested his head on Harry's**

**knee and drooled all over his robes.**

**Harry and Ron were delighted to hear Hagrid call Fitch "that old git."**

**Harry told Hagrid about Snape's lesson. Hagrid, like Ron, told Harry not**

**to worry about it, that Snape liked hardly any of the students**.

**"But he seemed to really hate me."**

**"Rubbish!" said Hagrid. "Why should he?"**

**Yet Harry couldn't help thinking that Hagrid didn't quite meet his eyes**

**when he said that.**

**"How's yer brother Charlie?" Hagrid asked Ron. "I liked him a lot -**

**great with animals."**

**Harry wondered if Hagrid had changed the subject on purpose. While Ron**

**told Hagrid all about Charlie's work with dragons, Harry picked up a**

**piece of paper that was lying on the table under the tea cozy. It was a**

**cutting from the Daily Prophet:**

**GRINGOTTS BREAK-IN LATEST**

**Investigations continue into the break-in at Gringotts on 31 July,**

**widely believed to be the work of Dark wizards or witches unknown.**

**Gringotts goblins today insisted that nothing had been taken. The vault**

**that was searched had in fact been emptied the same day.**

**"But we're not telling you what was in there, so keep your noses out if**

**you know what's good for you," said a Gringotts spokesgoblin this**

**afternoon.**

**Harry remembered Ron telling him on the train that someone had tried to**

**rob Gringotts, but Ron hadn't mentioned the date.**

**"Hagrid!" said Harry, "that Gringotts break-in happened on my birthday!**

**It might've been happening while we were there!"**

**There was no doubt about it, Hagrid definitely didn't meet Harry's eyes**

**this time. He grunted and offered him another rock cake. Harry read the**

**story again. The vault that was searched had in fact been emptied**

**earlier that same day. Hagrid had emptied vault seven hundred and**

**thirteen, if you could call it emptying, taking out that grubby little**

**package. Had that been what the thieves were looking for?**

**As Harry and Ron walked back to the castle for dinner, their pockets**

**weighed down with rock cakes they'd been too polite to refuse, Harry**

**thought that none of the lessons he'd had so far had given him as much**

**to think about as tea with Hagrid. Had Hagrid collected that package**

**just in time? Where was it now? And did Hagrid know something about**

**Snape that he didn't want to tell Harry?**

"End of chapter" Amelia said.

Every one looked at Snape and then Dumbledore. Some of the faster working brains had put together what was going on.

"Why would you have the stone at the castle Albus?" Minerva accused.

Dumbledore simply looked at her. She gave him a stern look waiting for an answer.

"I do not know Minerva, this is the future. I cannot explain something that hasn't happened yet" He said logically.

All the children shifted slightly, each of them sliding away from Severus by a few inches. They were liking the sound of him.


	13. Chapter 13

**This chapter contains mention of child abuse, and a brief description. **

**If you are uncomfortable reading about this topic, please skip ahead.**

**Thank you for your understanding**

I am very nervous about this chapter. More at the bottom.

Chapter thirteen.

**CHAPTER NINE - THE MIDNIGHT DUEL**

**Harry had never believed he would meet a boy he hated more than Dudley,**

**but that was before he met Draco Malfoy. Still, first-year**

**Gryffindors only had Potions with the Slytherins, so they didn't have to**

**put up with Malfoy much. Or at least, they didn't until they spotted a**

**notice pinned up in the Gryffindor common room that made them all groan.**

**Flying lessons would be starting on Thursday - and Gryffindor and**

**Slytherin would be learning together.**

**"Typical," said Harry darkly. "Just what I always wanted. To make a fool**

**of myself on a broomstick in front of Malfoy."**

"A Potter that can't fly, that'll be the day" barked out Sirius. Prongs nodded in agreement.

"All potters a great flyers, your father, grandfather, and myself, not to mention my parents, are all Good flyers. Harry you have nothing to worry about, I am sure you will do fine" Amelia said.

**He had been looking forward to learning to fly more than anything else.**

**"You don't know that you'll make a fool of yourself," said Ron**

**reasonably. "Anyway, I know Malfoy always going on about how good he**

**is at Quidditch, but I bet that's all talk."**

**Malfoy certainly did talk about flying a lot. He complained loudly about**

**first years never getting on the house Quidditch teams and told long,**

**boastful stories that always seemed to end with him narrowly escaping**

**Muggles in helicopters. He wasn't the only one, though: the way Seamus**

**Finnigan told it, he'd spent most of his childhood zooming around the**

**countryside on his broomstick. Even Ron would tell anyone who'd listen**

**about the time he'd almost hit a hang glider on Charlie's old broom.**

**Everyone from wizarding families talked about Quidditch constantly. Ron**

**had already had a big argument with Dean Thomas, who shared their**

**dormitory, about soccer. Ron couldn't see what was exciting about a game**

**with only one ball where no one was allowed to fly. Harry had caught Ron**

**prodding Dean's poster of West Ham soccer team, trying to make the**

**players move.**

**Neville had never been on a broomstick in his life, because his**

**grandmother had never let him near one. Privately, Harry felt she'd had**

**good reason, because Neville managed to have an extraordinary number of**

**accidents even with both feet on the ground.**

**Neville had never been on a broomstick in his life, because his**

**grandmother had never let him near one. Privately, Harry felt she'd had**

**good reason, because Neville managed to have an extraordinary number of**

**accidents even with both feet on the ground.**

**Hermione Granger was almost as nervous about flying as Neville was. This**

**was something you couldn't learn by heart out of a book - not that she**

**hadn't tried. At breakfast on Thursday she bored them all stupid with**

**flying tips she'd gotten out of a library book called Quidditch Through**

**the Ages. Neville was hanging on to her every word, desperate for**

**anything that might help him hang on to his broomstick later, but**

**everybody else was very pleased when Hermione's lecture was interrupted**

**by the arrival of the mail.**

**Harry hadn't had a single letter since Hagrid's note, something that**

**Malfoy had been quick to notice, of course. Malfoy's eagle owl was**

**always bringing him packages of sweets from home, which he opened**

**gloatingly at the Slytherin table.**

**A barn owl brought Neville a small package from his grandmother. He opened it excitedly and showed them a glass ball the size of a large marble, which seemed to be full of white smoke.**

**"It's a Remembrall!" he explained. "Gran knows I forget things - this**

**tells you if there's something you've forgotten to do. Look, you hold it**

**tight like this and if it turns red - oh..." His face fell, because the**

**Remembrall had suddenly glowed scarlet,**

**"You've forgotten something..."**

**Neville was trying to remember what he'd forgotten when Draco Malfoy,**

**who was passing the Gryffindor table, snatched the Remembrall out of his**

**hand.**

**Harry and Ron jumped to their feet. They were half hoping for a reason**

**to fight Malfoy, but Professor McGonagall, who could spot trouble**

**quicker than any teacher in the school, was there in a flash.**

**"What's going on?"**

**"Malfoy's got my Remembrall, Professor."**

**Scowling, Malfoy quickly dropped the Remembrall back on the table.**

**"Just looking," he said, and he sloped away with Crabbe and Goyle behind**

**him.**

**At three-thirty that afternoon, Harry, Ron, and the other Gryffindors**

**hurried down the front steps onto the grounds for their first flying**

**lesson. It was a clear, breezy day, and the grass rippled under their**

**feet as they marched down the sloping lawns toward a smooth, flat lawn**

**on the opposite side of the grounds to the forbidden forest, whose trees**

**were swaying darkly in the distance.**

**The Slytherins were already there, and so were twenty broomsticks lying**

**in neat lines on the ground. Harry had heard Fred and George Weasley**

**complain about the school brooms, saying that some of them started to**

**vibrate if you flew too high, or always flew slightly to the left.**

**Their teacher, Madam Hooch, arrived. She had short, gray hair, and**

**yellow eyes like a hawk.**

**"Well, what are you all waiting for?" she barked. "Everyone stand by a**

**broomstick. Come on, hurry up."**

**Harry glanced down at his broom. It was old and some of the twigs stuck**

**out at odd angles.**

**"Stick out your right hand over your broom," called Madam Hooch at the**

**front, "and say 'Up!"'**

**"UP" everyone shouted.**

**Harry's broom jumped into his hand at once, but it was one of the few**

**that did. Hermione Granger's had simply rolled over on the ground, and**

**Neville's hadn't moved at all. Perhaps brooms, like horses, could tell**

**when you were afraid, thought Harry; there was a quaver in Neville's**

**voice that said only too clearly that he wanted to keep his feet on the**

**ground**

"Very interesting theory, I would say that may be the case, if you are confident then the broom will respond" Said Mooney.

**Madam Hooch then showed them how to mount their brooms without sliding**

**off the end, and walked up and down the rows correcting their grips.**

**Harry and Ron were delighted when she told Malfoy he'd been doing it**

**wrong for years.**

**"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard," said**

**Madam Hooch. "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come**

**straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle - three**

**- two -"**

**But Neville, nervous and jumpy and frightened of being left on the**

**ground, pushed off hard before the whistle had touched Madam Hooch's**

**lips.**

**"Come back, boy!" she shouted, but Neville was rising straight up like a**

**cork shot out of a bottle - twelve feet - twenty feet. Harry saw his**

**scared white face look down at the ground falling away, saw him gasp,**

**slip sideways off the broom and -**

**WHAM - a thud and a nasty crack and Neville lay facedown on the grass**

**in a heap. His broomstick was still rising higher and higher, and**

**started to drift lazily toward the forbidden forest and out of sight.**

**Madam Hooch was bending over Neville, her face as white as his.**

**"Broken wrist," Harry heard her mutter. "Come on, boy - it's all right,**

**up you get.".**

**She turned to the rest of the class.**

**"None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You**

**leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before**

**you can say 'Quidditch.' Come on, dear."**

**Neville, his face tear-streaked, clutching his wrist, hobbled off with**

**Madam Hooch, who had her arm around him.**

**No sooner were they out of earshot than Malfoy burst into laughter.**

The entire room scowled at Draco, who hung his head. He felt the faint heat in his cheeks, which now a had a pink tinge to them. He couldn't believe how uncaring he had been, Nev was clearly scared of Flying, and he had to go and make it worse. He raised his eye to his mothers, she smiled sympathetically to him and flashed her eyes to the boy in question, who looked like he was going to burst into tears any minute now.

"Nev, I am sooo sorry, please believe me. I'm not the same boy in the books, I swear. Nev Please, you are one of my only friends. Please forgive me?" he asked. He didn't think he could handle losing these people. He had just made friends for the first time in his life and because of his fathers stupid beliefs. He was going to lose them. Draco couldn't control the emotions he was feeling, it was all new to him, pain and regret showed on his face. Neville looked at him.

"Its fine Drake, I know you aren't really like that. It just..." he paused looking for the right word.

"sucks" Harry offered

"yeah, sucks to hear about how bad I am at everything. Ya Know. I'm not really good at anything, and I don't really like being centre of attention." he finished. Putting his head down.

"Nev, you need to have some faith in yourself. Also you have us now. We will help you." Draco said he truly did want to be friends with each of them. Ron, Hermione,Harry, Luna Fred and George all nodded. Neville felt happy, he had friends. It was the best felt in a long time.

**"Did you see his face, the great lump?"**

**The other Slytherins joined in.**

**"Shut up, Malfoy," snapped Parvati Patil.**

**"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?" said Pansy Parkinson, a hard-faced**

**Slytherin girl. "Never thought you'd like fat little crybabies,**

**Parvati."**

**"Look!" said Malfoy, darting forward and snatching something out of the**

**grass. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him."**

**The Remembrall glittered in the sun as he held it up.**

**"Give that here, Malfoy," said Harry quietly. Everyone stopped talking**

**to watch.**

**Malfoy smiled nastily.**

"Oh for the love of Merlin, I really know how to put my foot in it don't I, Nev I am so sorry" Draco said again. He could have kicked himself. Hearing how much of a spoilt brat he was. Was making him really question himself.

**"I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find - how about -**

**up a tree?"**

**"Give it here!" Harry yelled, but Malfoy had leapt onto his broomstick**

**and taken off. He hadn't been lying, he could fly well. Hovering level**

**with the topmost branches of an oak he called, "Come and get it,**

**Potter!"**

**Harry grabbed his broom.**

**"No!" shouted Hermione Granger. "Madam Hooch told us not to move -**

**you'll get us all into trouble."**

**Harry ignored her. Blood was pounding in his ears. He mounted the broom**

**and kicked hard against the ground and up, up he soared; air rushed**

**through his hair, and his robes whipped out behind him -and in a rush of**

**fierce joy he realized he'd found something he could do without being**

**taught - this was easy, this was wonderful. He pulled his broomstick up**

**a little to take it even higher, and heard screams and gasps of girls**

**back on the ground and an admiring whoop from Ron.**

**He turned his broomstick sharply to face Malfoy in midair. Malfoy looked**

**stunned.**

**He turned his broomstick sharply to face Malfoy in midair. Malfoy looked**

**stunned.**

**"Give it here," Harry called, "or I'll knock you off that broom!" "Oh,**

**yeah?" said Malfoy, trying to sneer, but looking worried.**

**Harry knew, somehow, what to do. He leaned forward and grasped the broom**

**tightly in both hands, and it shot toward Malfoy like a javelin. Malfoy**

**only just got out of the way in time; Harry made a sharp about-face and**

**held the broom steady. A few people below were clapping.**

**"No Crabbe and Goyle up here to save your neck, Malfoy," Harry called.**

**The same thought seemed to have struck Malfoy.**

**"Catch it if you can, then!" he shouted, and he threw the glass ball**

**high into the air and streaked back toward the ground.**

**Harry saw, as though in slow motion, the ball rise up in the air and**

**then start to fall. He leaned forward and pointed his broom handle down**

**- next second he was gathering speed in a steep dive, racing the ball**

**- wind whistled in his ears, mingled with the screams of people**

**watching - he stretched out his hand - a foot from the ground he**

**caught it, just in time to pull his broom straight, and he toppled**

**gently onto the grass with the Remembrall clutched safely in his fist.**

"Seeker" Yelled Prongs

He was met with a few strange looks, mostly from Hermione and Harry.

"He would be a great seeker, He seems to have the instinct, and natural skill for it" Prongs said in explanation to the curious looks he was getting.

"I quiet agree James. Lets hope he tries out in second year" said Minerva. Although she had a good idea that should would allow the boy on the team in first year, Anything to beat Snape.

**"HARRY POTTER!"**

**His heart sank faster than he'd just dived. Professor McGonagall was**

**running toward them. He got to his feet, trembling.**

**"Never - in all my time at Hogwarts -"**

**Professor McGonagall was almost speechless with shock, and her glasses**

**flashed furiously, "- how dare you - might have broken your neck -"**

**"It wasn't his fault, Professor -"**

**"Be quiet, Miss Patil**

**"But Malfoy -"**

**"That's enough, Mr. Weasley. Potter, follow me, now."**

**Harry caught sight of Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle's triumphant faces as he**

**left, walking numbly in Professor McGonagall's wake as she strode toward**

**the castle. He was going to be expelled, he just knew it. He wanted to**

**say something to defend himself, but there seemed to be something wrong**

**with his voice. Professor McGonagall was sweeping along without even**

**looking at him; he had to jog to keep up. Now he'd done it. He hadn't**

**even lasted two weeks. He'd be packing his bags in ten minutes. What**

**would the Dursleys say when he turned up on the doorstep?**

**Up the front steps, up the marble staircase inside, and still Professor**

**McGonagall didn't say a word to him. She wrenched open doors and marched**

**along corridors with Harry trotting miserably behind her. Maybe she was**

**taking him to Dumbledore. He thought of Hagrid, expelled but allowed to**

**stay on as gamekeeper. Perhaps he could be Hagrid's assistant. His**

**stomach twisted as he imagined it, watching Ron and the others becoming**

**wizards, while he stumped around the grounds carrying Hagrid's bag.**

**Professor McGonagall stopped outside a classroom. She opened the door**

**and poked her head inside.**

**"Excuse me, Professor Flitwick, could I borrow Wood for a moment?"**

**Wood? thought Harry, bewildered; was Wood a cane she was going to use on**

**him?**

"Mr Potter... what... how... we DO NOT use a cane on the children of Hogwarts, what on earth would give you that idea?" Minerva said half furious and half shocked. Harry unconsciously moved his eyes to the Dursely's. And Minerva understood. Then she was furious all over again.

She stood swiftly and with great speed moved to stand in front of Vernon.

"Have you ever hit, or physically punished Harry?" her tone was cold and dangerous. He made a face like he was chocking. Petunia looked grey.

"I know he did it once, don't know if it was more" Dudley Whimpered out. He was scared to death of this woman standing in front of his family. Minerva eyes turned to Dudley, who was sitting as close as he could to his aunt, she wrapped an arm round him, and pulled him to her.

"How do you know that, honey?" Lilly asked calmly. Her blood was boiling. She would wait until the children were out the room. Before she dealt with her brother in law and sister.

" I heard Harry, he was crying, I crept downstairs and saw dad lift his belt. I'm sorry aunt Lilly, I couldn't do anything" he was sobbing quietly.

"Dudley, Sweetheart, there was nothing you could have done, how old were you?" she asked

" I was 8" he whispered

"See, you were only young, there was nothing you could have done" she said slowly

"Can you sit with your uncle James for a little while?, I need to talk to Harry" Lilly said shifting Dudley.

Prongs looked at the boy, he had a dislike for the boy, when he first heard about him. But now he couldn't hold anything against the boy. He took Dudley by the arm, and lead him over to sit with Him. He wedged the bot in between himself and Sirius.

Lilly now looked at Harry, his expression was unreadable. She held out her hand, he took

"Come with me Harry, Molly Remus if you will?" she asked. He tone was empty of emotion.

Lilly lead them to the girls room. As soon as they were inside the door. She cast a silencing charm over it just to be sure.

"Harry, I know you don't want to talk about it but tell me what happened?" Lilly asked her son.

"Well, I had been doing the garden. I had just finished. I put the lawn mower back, and went in the kitchen...an... well... I kinda... broke a glass bowl but mum I didn't touch it, it just exploded next to me, Uncle Vernon was furious and aunt petunia, looked like she was going to pass out. Mum I didn't mean it I swear " he stuttered out, he looked at the ground.

Lilly starred at him, she couldn't believe what she was hearing. Harry broke a bowl, accidental magic was common for young witches and wizards, especially in a high state of fear or anger and was getting hit with a belt for that, a very unhealthy rage took over her. She started to shake. As the angry ran through her system. Mooney knew all to well, just how much effort she was using to control herself. He felt the very same thing every full moon.

"Molly, you told me once you were going to be a healer before you started your family, please give Harry a check up, and I want to know every tiny little thing that is wrong with" Lilly said, her voice only hinted at the demon that was taking over.

Molly nodded quickly, and took Harry to a bed, and began her check up. Lilly turned to Mooney

"Remus, I know you don't like being reminded of this, but you need to help me control my angry, because if I go out there and see the son of a bitch, I WILL KILL HIM" Lilly hissed out.

Mooney took Lilly by the hand, and towed her through the cottage, to the garden outside,. Muttering to Prongs about everyone needing a break.

As soon as they were outside, Mooney pulled out his wand, transfigured their clothes in to sports gear, and the he made Lilly run.

Back inside the cottage, Dumbledore was standing in front of the foolish muggles, while Sirius and Prongs, tried to get the children into the other bedroom. The entire room was on the feet, just begging to get their hands on the bastard.

"Dumbledore, get out of my way" screamed Amelia

"Albus, move" Minerva yelled.

"Er Professor, I think you better get out of the way, they may actually hurt you" Said Percy,

Lucius and Severus, where at the back on the angry mob. Dumbledore was now shouting down the group, he was trying to use logic, but it appeared not to be of much use

"Well, Lucius what do you have to say on the matter?" Severus asked. His own blood boiling. But he had years of practice controlling his emotions.

"You may not approve of what I am about to say, but I believe that maybe the dark lord was onto something with the rule of muggles" Lucius tone was cold. Severus looked at him

"speak plainly Lucius" commanded Severus

"Well these filthy no good muggles, deserve the curliest type of punishment, they treated the boy, badly because he is a wizard. And I have no doubt, that other muggles would do the same. They should be taught a lesson" He finished. Casting his eyes over the mob.

When Severus didn't reply, Lucius continued

"don't you see, this is exactly what the dark lord said about the muggles, that they would hunt us down,because we are different. But if we did it first we could save our kind. "

"Lucius, this is not the same, you cannot assume that the action of these people" he spat the word out, " will be the same as all muggles. These are just the worst of the bunch" Snape tried to reason.

Lucius looked unmoved.

"well perhaps, we could teach, these muggles a lesson. I know of a very nasty spell, that would allow him to feel the pain, the boy has felt" Lucius said. Snape got a glint in his eye.

"Later" he said.

Back in the bedroom, Molly was almost finished her examination of Harry. Harry, had stayed perfectly still, and hadn't spoke yet. He was absolutely terrified of what was going to happen. His mother was in a complete rage, he didn't know what his father was doing. He didn't want to face everyone in the cottage. He knew he was going to receive pity.

"well dear I am finished" Molly said, letting Harry pull his t-shirt back on. He sat up and looked at her waiting to hear what she said.

"you are, malnourished, you have a scar on your back that won't ever go away, and some internal scarring. Also I can see that, a number of bones have healed on their own, you really should have seen a healer dear." She said. It pained her to see this kind of neglect, especially on this young boy. When they left this cottage she would be partly responsible for his care.

Harry nodded. "Mrs Weasley, could I stay here for a while, I don't want to go back out there just yet"

"Of course dear, take as long as you want" she said, then left the room in search of Lilly.

Back in the living room, the angry mob, had settled down. Everyone had their back to the muggles, she scanned the room looking for her children and their friends. Amelia noticed

"The kids are with my son, Lilly left with Remus"

Molly nodded and headed to the other room. She opened the door and was assaulted with a horrendous noise. All the kids seemed to be shouting and playing exploding snap,The twins were huddled in a corner, playing revenge on behalf of Harry while Sirius and Prongs were trying desperately trying to control them.

"Molly, Oh thank Merlin" Sirius cried in relief. He fell onto the bed, and left out a huge sigh.

James looked at her with pleading eyes.

"THAT IS ENOUGH!" She yelled at the top of her lungs, silence fell, except from the snap of the cards, the kids had been playing with.

"Tidy this room at once" she commanded the children, who all paused for a second, before hurrying to tidy the mess they had made.

" How's Harry? Where is he?" Prongs asked quickly.

"Harry wanted some time alone, he is healthy as can expected, he has some internal scarring, he had a few fractured bones. And a scar across his back, which I can only assume came from the belt, that ba... man used" Molly had to stop herself from swearing, as all her children were in the room. She took a breath, " and he needs a good feeding" she told Prongs. The man looked fifty years older than he was, he now sighed. He hurried from the room to find his son.

He entered the room and saw his son, looking out the window, a far off look in his eyes. He pulled his son into his arms, and lay on the bed with him. He just needed to hold him. Before long they had both fell asleep.

An hour later, the woke to find Lilly, Laying next to them, Harry curled up in between them.

"should we wake him?" prongs whispered to Lilly. She smiled and nodded

"Let's get the blasted book over with" she whispered back. Lilly gently ran her hand over Harry's head

"Harry, darling, time to wake up" she said softly, his lids slowly pulled up to reveal her eyes starring back at him.

"Hey mum, feel better?" he asked sleepy, she nodded.

The little family got up and made their way back to the living room. Where hushed conversations we going on. Sirius and Remus moved up the couch to allow the family to it with them. No one dared speak about what happened with the muggles.

"So we shall continue on" Amelia said.

**But Wood turned out to be a person, a burly fifth-year boy who came out**

**of Flitwick's class looking confused.**

**"Follow me, you two," said Professor McGonagall, and they marched on up**

**the corridor, Wood looking curiously at Harry.**

**"In here."**

**Professor McGonagall pointed them into a classroom that was empty except**

**for Peeves, who was busy writing rude words on the blackboard.**

**"Out, Peeves!" she barked. Peeves threw the chalk into a bin, which**

**clanged loudly, and he swooped out cursing. Professor McGonagall slammed**

**the door behind him and turned to face the two boys.**

**"Potter, this is Oliver Wood. Wood - I've found you a Seeker."**

There was delighted cry from prongs. And the rest of the room. A few congratulations. But no ones heart was really in it. But the felt they had to try.

**Wood's expression changed from puzzlement to delight.**

**"Are you serious, Professor?"**

**"Absolutely," said Professor McGonagall crisply. "The boy's a natural.**

**I've never seen anything like it. Was that your first time on a**

**broomstick, Potter?"**

**Harry nodded silently. He didn't have a clue what was going on, but he**

**didn't seem to be being expelled, and some of the feeling started coming**

**back to his legs.**

**"He caught that thing in his hand after a fifty-foot dive," Professor**

**McGonagall told Wood. "Didn't even scratch himself. Charlie Weasley**

**couldn't have done it."**

**Wood was now looking as though all his dreams had come true at once.**

**"Ever seen a game of Quidditch, Potter?" he asked excitedly.**

**"Wood's captain of the Gryffindor team," Professor McGonagall explained.**

**"He's just the build for a Seeker, too," said Wood, now walking around**

**Harry and staring at him. "Light - speedy - we'll have to get him a**

**decent broom, Professor - a Nimbus Two Thousand or a Cleansweep Seven,**

**I'd say."**

**I shall speak to Professor Dumbledore and see if we can't bend the**

**first-year rule. Heaven knows, we need a better team than last year.**

**Flattened in that last match by Slytherin, I couldn't look Severus Snape**

**in the face for weeks..."**

Severus, gave Minerva a smug smile. She just glared in return.

**Professor McGonagall peered sternly over her glasses at Harry.**

**"I want to hear you're training hard, Potter, or I may change my mind**

**about punishing you."**

**Then she suddenly smiled.**

**"Your father would have been proud," she said. "He was an excellent**

**Quidditch player himself."**

"I am very proud of you son" Prongs beamed.

**"You're joking."**

**It was dinnertime. Harry had just finished telling Ron what had happened**

**when he'd left the grounds with Professor McGonagall. Ron had a piece of**

**steak and kidney pie halfway to his mouth, but he'd forgotten all about**

**it.**

**"Seeker?" he said. "But first years never - you must be the youngest**

**house player in about a century, said Harry, shoveling pie into his**

**mouth. He felt particularly hungry after the excitement of the**

**afternoon. "Wood told me."**

**Ron was so amazed, so impressed, he just sat and gaped at Harry.**

**"I start training next week," said Harry. "Only don't tell anyone, Wood**

**wants to keep it a secret."**

**Fred and George Weasley now came into the hall, spotted Harry, and**

**hurried over.**

**"Well done," said George in a low voice. "Wood told us. We're on the**

**team too - Beaters."**

**"I tell you, we're going to win that Quidditch cup for sure this year,"**

**said Fred. "We haven't won since Charlie left, but this year's team is**

**going to be brilliant. You must be good, Harry, Wood was almost skipping**

**when he told us."**

**"Anyway, we've got to go, Lee Jordan reckons he's found a new secret**

**passageway out of the school."**

**"Bet it's that one behind the statue of Gregory the Smarmy that we found**

**in our first week. See you."**

**Fred and George had hardly disappeared when someone far less welcome**

**turned up: Malfoy, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle.**

**"Having a last meal, Potter? When are you getting the train back to the**

**Muggles?"**

**"You're a lot braver now that you're back on the ground and you've got**

**your little friends with you," said Harry coolly. There was of course**

**nothing at all little about Crabbe and Goyle, but as the High Table was**

**full of teachers, neither of them could do more than crack their**

**knuckles and scowl.**

**"I'd take you on anytime on my own," said Malfoy. "Tonight, if you want.**

**Wizard's duel. Wands only - no contact. What's the matter? Never heard**

**of a wizard's duel before, I suppose?"**

**"Of course he has," said Ron, wheeling around. "I'm his second, who's**

**yours?"**

**Malfoy looked at Crabbe and Goyle, sizing them up.**

**"Crabbe," he said. "Midnight all right? We'll meet you in the trophy**

**room; that's always unlocked."**

"RONALD WEASLEY, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR PLAYING AT?" Molly bellowed

at the same time Lilly was yelling at Harry

"HARRY JAMES POTTER, DON'T YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT TURNING UP"

Both mother's were furious. Draco looked at the ground. Shame washing through him.

"DRACO MALFOY, DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW DANGEROUS THAT IS?" his mother yelled at him. All three boys inched away from their parents. The boys shared a look.

**When Malfoy had gone, Ron and Harry looked at each other. "What is a**

**wizard's duel?" said Harry. "And what do you mean, you're my second?"**

**"Well, a second's there to take over if you die," said Ron casually,**

**getting started at last on his cold pie. Catching the look on Harry's**

**face, he added quickly, "But people only die in proper duels, you know,**

**with real wizards. The most you and Malfoy'll be able to do is send**

**sparks at each other. Neither of you knows enough magic to do any real**

**damage. I bet he expected you to refuse, anyway."**

**"And what if I wave my wand and nothing happens?"**

**"Throw it away and punch him on the nose," Ron suggested. "Excuse me."**

**They both looked up. It was Hermione Granger.**

**"Can't a person eat in peace in this place?" said Ron.**

**Hermione ignored him and spoke to Harry.**

**"I couldn't help overhearing what you and Malfoy were saying -"**

**"Bet you could," Ron muttered.**

**"-and you mustn't go wandering around the school at night, think of the**

**points you'll lose Gryffindor if you're caught, and you're bound to be.**

**It's really very selfish of you."**

**"And it's really none of your business," said Harry.**

**"Good-bye," said Ron.**

"Harry, Ron. That is not very nice you should be nicer to people, Hermione is trying to look out for you. "Lilly scolded both boys looked at the ground. She was right they were being completely horrid to Hermione, she was trying to be a good friend.

**All the same, it wasn't what you'd call the perfect end to the day,**

**Harry thought, as he lay awake much later listening to Dean and Seamus**

**falling asleep (Neville wasn't back from the hospital wing). Ron had**

**spent all evening giving him advice such as "If he tries to curse you,**

**you'd better dodge it, because I can't remember how to block them."**

**There was a very good chance they were going to get caught by Filch or**

**Mrs. Norris, and Harry felt he was pushing his luck, breaking another**

**school rule today. On the other hand, Malfoys sneering face kept looming**

**up out of the darkness - this was his big chance to beat Malfoy**

**face-to-face. He couldn't miss it.**

**"Half-past eleven," Ron muttered at last, "we'd better go."**

**They pulled on their bathrobes, picked up their wands, and crept across**

**the tower room, down the spiral staircase, and into the Gryffindor**

**common room. A few embers were still glowing in the fireplace, turning**

**all the armchairs into hunched black shadows. They had almost reached**

**the portrait hole when a voice spoke from the chair nearest them, "I**

**can't believe you're going to do this, Harry."**

**A lamp flickered on. It was Hermione Granger, wearing a pink bathrobe**

**and a frown.**

**"You!" said Ron furiously. "Go back to bed!"**

**"I almost told your brother," Hermione snapped, "Percy - he's a**

**prefect, he'd put a stop to this."**

**Harry couldn't believe anyone could be so interfering.**

Harry looked at Hermione, to see she was holding in tears. He had never felt so guilty in his life.

He got up, sneaking a look at his mother. Who looked like she was going to shout again. He nodded to the others to leave with them. The went out side to the little pond.

" Hermione, I want to say sorry. I really don't think that about you" Harry apologised, he gave the girl a quick hug.

"yeah, Hermione, me too, sorry" Ron added.

"Look, I fear, in these books we may, all do something, to hurt each others feeling, how about we make a deal right now?" offered Draco. Everyone looked to the blonde boy.

"How about this, we stop apologising for things we have done in the book, and promise that no matter what happens, in the reality, we will always be friends and stand by each other" Draco said. He wanted these people to know he wasn't like that boy in books. Finally getting to know, he considered each of them a friend. He put a hand out, an offer.

Harry placed his hand on top of Draco's " Agreed", Neville followed suit, then Luna, and Ron and finally Hermione.

"But Draco you are in Slytherin , that will be hard for you, also what about your father isn't he going to be angry with you," Hermione asked. Draco just shrugged

The kids walked back into the cottage, and sat smiling at each other.

Amelia continued.

**"Come on," he said to Ron. He pushed open the portrait of the Fat Lady**

**and climbed through the hole.**

**Hermione wasn't going to give up that easily. She followed Ron through**

**the portrait hole, hissing at them like an angry goose.**

**"Don't you care about Gryffindor, do you only care about yourselves, I**

**don't want Slytherin to win the house cup, and you'll lose all the**

**points I got from Professor McGonagall for knowing about Switching**

**Spells."**

**"Go away." "All right, but I warned you, you just remember what I said**

**when you're on the train home tomorrow, you're so -"**

**But what they were, they didn't find out. Hermione had turned to the**

**portrait of the Fat Lady to get back inside and found herself facing an**

**empty painting. The Fat Lady had gone on a night time visit and Hermione**

**was locked out of Gryffindor tower.**

**"Now what am I going to do?" she asked shrilly.**

**"That's your problem," said Ron. "We've got to go, we 3 re going to be**

**late."**

**They hadn't even reached the end of the corridor when Hermione caught up**

**with them.**

**"I'm coming with you," she said.**

**"You are not."**

**"D'you think I'm going to stand out here and wait for Filch to catch me?**

**If he finds all three of us I'll tell him the truth, that I was trying**

**to stop you, and you can back me up."**

**"You've got some nerve -" said Ron loudly.**

**"Shut up, both of you!" said Harry sharply. I heard something."**

**It was a sort of snuffling.**

**"Mrs. Norris?" breathed Ron, squinting through the dark.**

**It wasn't Mrs. Norris. It was Neville. He was curled up on the floor,**

**fast asleep, but jerked suddenly awake as they crept nearer.**

**"Thank goodness you found me! I've been out here for hours, I couldn't**

**remember the new password to get in to bed."**

**"Keep your voice down, Neville. The password's 'Pig snout' but it won't**

**help you now, the Fat Lady's gone off somewhere."**

**"How's your arm?" said Harry.**

**"Fine," said Neville, showing them. "Madam Pomfrey mended it in about a**

**minute."**

**"Good - well, look, Neville, we've got to be somewhere, we'll see you**

**later -"**

**"Don't leave me!" said Neville, scrambling to his feet, "I don't want to**

**stay here alone, the Bloody Baron's been past twice already."**

**Ron looked at his watch and then glared furiously at Hermione and**

**Neville.**

**"If either of you get us caught, I'll never rest until I've learned that**

**Curse of the Bogies Quirrell told us about, and used it on you.**

**Hermione opened her mouth, perhaps to tell Ron exactly how to use the**

**Curse of the Bogies, but Harry hissed at her to be quiet and beckoned**

**them all forward.**

**They flitted along corridors striped with bars of moonlight from the**

**high windows. At every turn Harry expected to run into Filch or Mrs.**

**Norris, but they were lucky. They sped up a staircase to the third floor**

**and tiptoed toward the trophy room.**

**Malfoy and Crabbe weren't there yet. The crystal trophy cases glimmered**

**where the moonlight caught them. Cups, shields, plates, and statues**

**winked silver and gold in the darkness. They edged along the walls,**

**keeping their eyes on the doors at either end of the room. Harry took**

**out his wand in case Malfoy leapt in and started at once. The minutes**

**crept by.**

**"He's late, maybe he's chickened out," Ron whispered.**

**Then a noise in the next room made them jump. Harry had only just raised**

**his wand when they heard someone speak -and it wasn't Malfoy.**

**"Sniff around, my sweet, they might be lurking in a corner."**

**It was Filch speaking to Mrs. Norris. Horror-struck, Harry waved madly**

**at the other three to follow him as quickly as possible; they scurried**

**silently toward the door, away from Filch's voice. Neville's robes had**

**barely whipped round the corner when they heard Filch enter the trophy**

**room.**

**"They're in here somewhere," they heard him mutter, "probably hiding."**

**"This way!" Harry mouthed to the others and, petrified, they began to**

**creep down a long gallery full of suits of armor. They could hear Filch**

**getting nearer. Neville suddenly let out a frightened squeak and broke**

**into a run -he tripped, grabbed Ron around the waist, and the pair of**

**them toppled right into a suit of armor.**

**The clanging and crashing were enough to wake the whole castle.**

**"RUN!" Harry yelled, and the four of them sprinted down the gallery, not**

**looking back to see whether Filch was following - they swung around the**

**doorpost and galloped down one corridor then another, Harry in the lead,**

**without any idea where they were or where they were going - they ripped**

**through a tapestry and found themselves in a hidden passageway, hurtled**

**along it and came out near their Charms classroom, which they knew was**

**miles from the trophy room.**

**"I think we've lost him," Harry panted, leaning against the cold wall**

**and wiping his forehead. Neville was bent double, wheezing and**

**spluttering.**

**I - told -you," Hermione gasped, clutching at the stitch in her chest,**

**"I - told - you."**

**"We've got to get back to Gryffindor tower," said Ron, "quickly as**

**possible."**

**"Malfoy tricked you," Hermione said to Harry. "You realize that, don't**

**you? He was never going to meet you - Filch knew someone was going to be in the trophy room, Malfoy must have tipped him off."**

**Harry thought she was probably right, but he wasn't going to tell her**

**that.**

**"Let's go."**

**It wasn't going to be that simple. They hadn't gone more than a dozen**

**paces when a doorknob rattled and something came shooting out of a**

**classroom in front of them.**

**It was Peeves. He caught sight of them and gave a squeal of delight.**

**"Shut up, Peeves - please - you'll get us thrown out."**

**Peeves cackled.**

**"Wandering around at midnight, Ickle Firsties? Tut, tut, tut. Naughty,**

**naughty, you'll get caughty."**

**"Not if you don't give us away, Peeves, please."**

**"Should tell Filch, I should," said Peeves in a saintly voice, but his**

**eyes glittered wickedly. "It's for your own good, you know."**

**"Get out of the way," snapped Ron, taking a swipe at Peeves this was a**

**big mistake.**

**"STUDENTS OUT OF BED!" Peeves bellowed, "STUDENTS OUT OF BED**

**DOWN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR"**

**Ducking under Peeves, they ran for their lives, right to the end of the**

**corridor where they slammed into a door - and it was locked.**

**"This is it!" Ron moaned, as they pushed helplessly at the door, "We're**

**done for! This is the end!" They could hear footsteps, Filch running as**

**fast as he could toward Peeves's shouts.**

**"Oh, move over," Hermione snarled. She grabbed Harry's wand, tapped the**

**lock, and whispered, 'Alohomora!"**

**The lock clicked and the door swung open - they piled through it, shut it quickly, and pressed their ears against it, listening.**

**"Which way did they go, Peeves?" Filch was saying. "Quick, tell me."**

**"Say 'please."'**

**"Don't mess with me, Peeves, now where did they go?"**

**"Shan't say nothing if you don't say please," said Peeves in his**

**annoying singsong voice.**

**"All right -please."**

**"NOTHING! Ha haaa! Told you I wouldn't say nothing if you didn't say**

**please! Ha ha! Haaaaaa!" And they heard the sound of Peeves whooshing**

**away and Filch cursing in rage.**

**"He thinks this door is locked," Harry whispered. "I think we'll be okay**

**- get off, Neville!" For Neville had been tugging on the sleeve of**

**Harry's bathrobe for the last minute. "What?"**

**Harry turned around - and saw, quite clearly, what. For a moment, he**

**was sure he'd walked into a nightmare - this was too much, on top of**

**everything that had happened so far.**

**They weren't in a room, as he had supposed. They were in a corridor. The**

**forbidden corridor on the third floor. And now they knew why it was**

**forbidden.**

**They were looking straight into the eyes of a monstrous dog, a dog that**

**filled the whole space between ceiling and floor. It had three heads.**

**Three pairs of rolling, mad eyes; three noses, twitching**

**and quivering in their direction; three drooling mouths, saliva hanging**

**in slippery ropes from yellowish fangs.**

**It was standing quite still, all six eyes staring at them, and Harry**

**knew that the only reason they weren't already dead was that their**

**sudden appearance had taken it by surprise, but it was quickly getting**

**over that, there was no mistaking what those thunderous growls meant.**

**Harry groped for the doorknob - between Filch and death, he'd take**

**Filch.**

**They fell backward - Harry slammed the door shut, and they ran, they**

**almost flew, back down the corridor. Filch must have hurried off to look**

**for them somewhere else, because they didn't see him anywhere, but they**

**hardly cared - all they wanted to do was put as much space as possible**

**between them and that monster. They didn't stop running until they**

**reached the portrait of the Fat Lady on the seventh floor.**

**"Where on earth have you all been?" she asked, looking at their**

**bathrobes hanging off their shoulders and their flushed, sweaty faces.**

**"Never mind that - pig snout, pig snout," panted Harry, and the**

**portrait swung forward. They scrambled into the common room and**

**collapsed, trembling, into armchairs.**

**It was a while before any of them said anything. Neville, indeed, looked**

**as if he'd never speak again.**

**"What do they think they're doing, keeping a thing like that locked up**

**in a school?" said Ron finally. "If any dog needs exercise, that one**

**does."**

**Hermione had got both her breath and her bad temper back again. "You**

**don't use your eyes, any of you, do you?" she snapped. "Didn't you see**

**what it was standing on.**

**"The floor?" Harry suggested. "I wasn't looking at its feet, I was too**

**busy with its heads."**

**"No, not the floor. It was standing on a trapdoor. It's obviously**

**guarding something."**

**She stood up, glaring at them.**

**I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed -**

**or worse, expelled. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to bed."**

**Ron stared after her, his mouth open.**

**"No, we don't mind," he said. "You'd think we dragged her along,**

**wouldn't you.**

**But Hermione had given Harry something else to think about as he climbed back into bed. The dog was guarding something... What had Hagrid said?**

**Gringotts was the safest place in the world for something you wanted to**

**hide - except perhaps Hogwarts.**

**It looked as though Harry had found out where the grubby little package**

**from vault seven hundred and thirteen was.**

"finally, that is the end of the chapter"

" lets move straight on, shall we" Minerva suggested. Everyone agreed

**Any form of abuse is an uncomfortable topic, to write about or even read about. In my mind, The Dursleys are capable of just about anything, considering their complete dislike of magic, and the statement about "stamping it out" it would seem logical that if Harry showed any sign of magic, they would over react. I'm not sure about this chapter. **

**Please forgive me if this doesn't add to the story. **


	14. Chapter 14

Have you noticed that everyone is acting out of character...? there Is a reason I swear.

Hope this is living up to your expectations. If not please let me know.

Valfreya

Chapter fourteen.

CHAPTER TEN – HALLOWEEN. Amelia read.

**Malfoy couldn't believe his eyes when he saw that Harry and Ron were**

**still at Hogwarts the next day, looking tired but perfectly cheerful.**

**Indeed, by the next morning Harry and Ron thought that meeting the**

**three-headed dog had been an excellent adventure, and they were quite**

**keen to have another one. In the meantime, Harry filled Ron in about the**

**package that seemed to have been moved from Gringotts to Hogwarts, and**

**they spent a lot of time wondering what could possibly need such heavy**

**protection. "It's either really valuable or really dangerous," said Ron.**

**"Or both," said Harry.**

**But as all they knew for sure about the mysterious object was that it**

**was about two inches long, they didn't have much chance of guessing what**

**it was without further clues.**

**Neither Neville nor Hermione showed the slightest interest in what lay**

**underneath the dog and the trapdoor. All Neville cared about was never**

**going near the dog again.**

**Hermione was now refusing to speak to Harry and Ron, but she was such a**

**bossy know-it-all that they saw this as an added bonus. All they really**

**wanted now was a way of getting back at Malfoy, and to their great**

**delight, just such a thing arrived in the mail about a week later.**

**As the owls flooded into the Great Hall as usual, everyone's attention**

**was caught at once by a long, thin package carried by six large screech**

**owls. Harry was just as interested as everyone else to see what was in**

**this large parcel, and was amazed when the owls soared down and dropped**

**it right in front of him, knocking his bacon to the floor. They had**

**hardly fluttered out of the way when another owl dropped a letter on top**

**of the parcel.**

**Harry ripped open the letter first, which was lucky, because it said:**

**DO NOT OPEN THE PARCEL AT THE TABLE.**

**It contains your new Nimbus Two Thousand, but I don't want everybody**

**knowing you've got a broomstick or they'll all want one. Oliver Wood**

**will meet you tonight on the Quidditch field at seven o'clock for your**

**first training session.**

**Professor McGonagall**

"Wow" breathed Harry "Thank you, Professor"

There were many looks of jealously throughout the room, most notably from all the Quidditch players.

**Harry had difficulty hiding his glee as he handed the note to Ron to read.**

**"A Nimbus Two Thousand!" Ron moaned enviously. "I've never even touched**

**one."**

**They left the hall quickly, wanting to unwrap the broomstick in private**

**before their first class, but halfway across the entrance hall they**

**found the way upstairs barred by Crabbe and Goyle. Malfoy seized the**

**package from Harry and felt it.**

**"That's a broomstick," he said, throwing it back to Harry with a mixture**

**of jealousy and spite on his face. "You'll be in for it this time,**

**Potter, first years aren't allowed them."**

**Ron couldn't resist it.**

**"It's not any old broomstick," he said, "it's a Nimbus Two Thousand.**

**What did you say you've got at home, Malfoy, a Comet Two Sixty?" Ron**

**grinned at Harry. "Comets look flashy, but they're not in the same**

**league as the Nimbus."**

**"What would you know about it, Weasley, you couldn't afford half the**

**handle," Malfoy snapped back. "I suppose you and your brothers have to**

**save up twig by twig."**

**Before Ron could answer, Professor Flitwick appeared at Malfoy's elbow.**

**"Not arguing, I hope, boys?" he squeaked.**

**"Potter's been sent a broomstick, Professor," said Malfoy quickly.**

**"Yes, yes, that's right," said Professor Flitwick, beaming at Harry.**

**"Professor McGonagall told me all about the special circumstances,**

**Potter. And what model is it?"**

**"A Nimbus Two Thousand, sit," said Harry, fighting not to laugh at the**

**look of horror on Malfoy's face. "And it's really thanks to Malfoy here**

**that I've got it," he added.**

**Harry and Ron headed upstairs, smothering their laughter at Malfoy's**

**obvious rage and confusion. "Well, it's true," Harry chortled as they**

**reached the top of the marble staircase, "If he hadn't stolen Neville's**

**Remembrall I wouln't be on the team..."**

**"So I suppose you think that's a reward for breaking rules?" came an**

**angry voice from just behind them. Hermione was stomping up the stairs,**

**looking disapprovingly at the package in Harry's hand.**

**"I thought you weren't speaking to us?" said Harry.**

**"Yes, don't stop now," said Ron, "it's doing us so much good."**

**Hermione marched away with her nose in the air.**

**Harry had a lot of trouble keeping his mind on his lessons that day. It**

**kept wandering up to the dormitory where his new broomstick was lying**

**under his bed, or straying off to the Quidditch field where he'd be**

**learning to play that night. He bolted his dinner that evening without**

**noticing what he was eating, and then rushed upstairs with Ron to unwrap**

**the Nimbus Two Thousand at last.**

**"Wow," Ron sighed, as the broomstick rolled onto Harry's bedspread.**

**Even Harry, who knew nothing about the different brooms, thought it**

**looked wonderful. Sleek and shiny, with a mahogany handle, it had a long**

**tail of neat, straight twigs and Nimbus Two Thousand written in gold**

**near the top.**

**As seven o'clock drew nearer, Harry left the castle and set off in the**

**dusk toward the Quidditch field. Held never been inside the stadium**

**before. Hundreds of seats were raised in stands around the field so that**

**the spectators were high enough to see what was going on. At either end of the field were three golden poles with hoops on the end. They**

**reminded Harry of the little plastic sticks Muggle children blew bubbles through, except that they were fifty feet high.**

**Too eager to fly again to wait for Wood, Harry mounted his broomstick**

**and kicked off from the ground. What a feeling - he swooped in and out**

**of the goal posts and then sped up and down the field. The Nimbus Two**

**Thousand turned wherever he wanted at his lightest touch.**

**"Hey, Potter, come down!'**

**Oliver Wood had arrived. fie was carrying a large wooden crate under his**

**arm. Harry landed next to him.**

**"Very nice," said Wood, his eyes glinting. "I see what McGonagall**

**meant... you really are a natural. I'm just going to teach you the rules**

**this evening, then you'll be joining team practice three times a week."**

**He opened the crate. Inside were four different-sized balls.**

**"Right," said Wood. "Now, Quidditch is easy enough to understand, even**

**if it's not too easy to play. There are seven players on each side.**

**Three of them are called Chasers."**

**"Three Chasers," Harry repeated, as Wood took out a bright red ball**

**about the size of a soccer ball.**

**"This ball's called the Quaffle," said Wood. "The Chasers throw the**

**Quaffle to each other and try and get it through one of the hoops to**

**score a goal. Ten points every time the Quaffle goes through one of the**

**hoops. Follow me?"**

**"The Chasers throw the Quaffle and put it through the hoops to score,"**

**Harry recited. "So - that's sort of like basketball on broomsticks with**

**six hoops, isn't it?"**

**"What's basketball?" said Wood curiously. "Never mind," said Harry**

**quickly.**

**"Now, there's another player on each side who's called the Keeper -I'm**

**Keeper for Gryffindor. I have to fly around our hoops and stop the other**

**team from scoring.""Three Chasers, one Keeper," said Harry, who was determined to rememberit all. "And they play with the Quaffle. Okay, got that. So what are they for?" He pointed at the three balls left inside the box.**

**"I'll show you now," said Wood. "Take this."**

**He handed Harry a small club, a bit like a short baseball bat.**

**"I'm going to show you what the Bludgers do," Wood said. "These two are**

**the Bludgers."**

**He showed Harry two identical balls, jet black and slightly smaller than**

**the red Quaffle. Harry noticed that they seemed to be straining to**

**escape the straps holding them inside the box.**

**"Stand back," Wood warned Harry. He bent down and freed one of the**

**Bludgers.**

**At once, the black ball rose high in the air and then pelted straight at**

**Harry's face. Harry swung at it with the bat to stop it from breaking**

**his nose, and sent it zigzagging away into the air - it zoomed around**

**their heads and then shot at Wood, who dived on top of it and managed to**

**pin it to the ground.**

**"See?" Wood panted, forcing the struggling Bludger back into the crate**

**and strapping it down safely. "The Bludgers rocket around, trying to**

**knock players off their brooms. That's why you have two Beaters on each**

**team - the Weasley twins are ours - it's their job to protect their**

**side from the Bludgers and try and knock them toward the other team. So**

**- think you've got all that?"**

**"Three Chasers try and score with the Quaffle; the Keeper guards the**

**goal posts; the Beaters keep the Bludgers away from their team," Harry**

**reeled off.**

**"Very good," said Wood.**

**"Er - have the Bludgers ever killed anyone?" Harry asked, hoping he**

**sounded offhand.**

**"Never at Hogwarts. We've had a couple of broken jaws but nothing worse**

**than that. Now, the last member of the team is the Seeker. That's you. And you don't have to worry about the Quaffle or the Bludgers unless they crack my head open."**

**"Don't worry, the Weasleys are more than a match for the Bludgers - I**

**mean, they're like a pair of human Bludgers themselves."**

**Wood reached into the crate and took out the fourth and last ball.**

**Compared with the Quaffle and the Bludgers, it was tiny, about the size**

**of a large walnut. It was bright gold and had little fluttering silver**

**wings.**

**"This," said Wood, "is the Golden Snitch, and it's the most important**

**ball of the lot. It's very hard to catch because it's so fast and**

**difficult to see. It's the Seeker's job to catch it. You've got to weave**

**in and out of the Chasers, Beaters, Bludgers, and Quaffle to get it**

**before the other team's Seeker, because whichever Seeker catches the**

**Snitch wins his team an extra hundred and fifty points, so they**

**nearly always win. That's why Seekers get fouled so much. A game of**

**Quidditch only ends when the Snitch is caught, so it can go on for ages**

**- I think the record is three months, they had to keep bringing on**

**substitutes so the players could get some sleep. "Well, that's it - any**

**questions?"**

**Harry shook his head. He understood what he had to do all right, it was**

**doing it that was going to be the problem.**

**"We won't practice with the Snitch yet," said Wood, carefully shutting**

**it back inside the crate, "it's too dark, we might lose it. Let's try**

**you out with a few of these."**

**He pulled a bag of ordinary golf balls out of his pocket and a few**

**minutes later, he and Harry were up in the air, Wood throwing the golf**

**balls as hard as he could in every direction for Harry to catch.**

**Harry didn't miss a single one, and Wood was delighted. After half an**

**hour, night had really fallen and they couldn't carry on.**

**"That Quidditch cup'll have our name on it this year," said Wood happily**

**as they trudged back up to the castle. "I wouldn't be surprised if you**

**turn out better than Charlie Weasley, and he could have played for**

**England if he hadn't gone off chasing dragons."**

**Perhaps it was because he was now so busy, what with Quidditch practice**

t**hree evenings a week on top of all his homework, but Harry could hardly**

**believe it when he realized that he'd already been at Hogwarts two**

**months. The castle felt more like home than Privet Drive ever had. His**

**lessons, too, were becoming more and more interesting now that they had**

**mastered the basics.**

**On Halloween morning they woke to the delicious smell of baking pumpkin**

**wafting through the corridors. Even better, Professor Flitwick announced**

**in Charms that he thought they were ready to start making objects fly,**

**something they had all been dying to try since they'd seen him make**

**Neville's toad zoom around the classroom. Professor Flitwick put the**

**class into pairs to practice. Harry's partner was Seamus Finnigan (which**

**was a relief, because Neville had been trying to catch his eye). Ron,**

**however, was to be working with Hermione Granger. It was hard to tell**

**whether Ron or Hermione was angrier about this. She hadn't spoken to**

**either of them since the day Harry's broomstick had arrived.**

**"Now, don't forget that nice wrist movement we've been practicing!"**

**squeaked Professor Flitwick, perched on top of his pile of books as**

**usual. "Swish and flick, remember, swish and flick. And saying the magic**

**words properly is very important, too - never forget Wizard Baruffio,**

**who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a**

**buffalo on his chest."**

**It was very difficult. Harry and Seamus swished and flicked, but the**

**feather they were supposed to be sending skyward just lay on the**

**desktop. Seamus got so impatient that he prodded it with his wand and**

**set fire to it - Harry had to put it out with his hat.**

**Ron, at the next table, wasn't having much more luck.**

**"Wingardium Leviosa!" he shouted, waving his long arms like a windmill.**

**"You're saying it wrong," Harry heard Hermione snap. "It's Wing-gar-dium**

**Levi-o-sa, make the 'gar' nice and long."**

**"You do it, then, if you're so clever," Ron snarled.**

**Hermione rolled up the sleeves of her gown, flicked her wand, and said,**

**"Wingardium Leviosa!"**

**Their feather rose off the desk and hovered about four feet above their**

**heads.**

**"Oh, well done!" cried Professor Flitwick, clapping. "Everyone see here,**

**Miss Granger's done it!"**

**Ron was in a very bad mood by the end of the class. "It's no wonder no**

**one can stand her," he said to Harry as they pushed their way into the**

**crowded corridor, "she's a nightmare, honestly. "**

**Someone knocked into Harry as they hurried past him. It was Hermione.**

**Harry caught a glimpse of her face - and was startled to see that she**

**was in tears.**

**"I think she heard you."**

**"So?" said Ron, but he looked a bit uncomfortable. "She must've noticed**

**she's got no friends."**

**Hermione didn't turn up for the next class and wasn't seen all**

**afternoon. On their way down to the Great Hall for the Halloween feast,**

**Harry and Ron overheard Parvati Patil telling her friend Lavender that**

**Hermione was crying in the girls' bathroom and wanted to be left alone.**

**Ron looked still more awkward at this, but a moment later they had**

**entered the Great Hall, where the Halloween decorations put Hermione out**

**of their minds.**

**A thousand live bats fluttered from the walls and ceiling while a**

**thousand more swooped over the tables in low black clouds, making the**

**candles in the pumpkins stutter. The feast appeared suddenly on the**

**golden plates, as it had at the start-of-term banquet.**

**Harry was just helping himself to a baked potato when Professor Quirrell**

**came sprinting into the hall, his turban askew and terror on his face.**

**Everyone stared as he reached Professor Dumbledore's chair, slumped**

**against the table, and gasped, "Troll - in the dungeons - thought you**

**ought to know."**

**He then sank to the floor in a dead faint.**

**There was an uproar. It took several purple firecrackers exploding from**

**the end of Professor Dumbledore's wand to bring silence. **

"Oh my... Dumbledore, how could this happen?" Minerva asked.

Dumbledore, looked uncomfortable at this news. The room was filled with a new tension.

The kids looked a nasty shade of white.

**"Prefects," he rumbled, "lead your Houses back to the dormitories**

**immediately!"**

**Percy was in his element.**

**"Follow me! Stick together, first years! No need to fear the troll if**

**you follow my orders! Stay close behind me, now. Make way, first years**

**coming through! Excuse me, I'm a prefect!"**

**"How could a troll get in?" Harry asked as they climbed the stairs.**

**"Don't ask me, they're supposed to be really stupid," said Ron. "Maybe**

**Peeves let it in for a Halloween joke."**

**They passed different groups of people hurrying in different directions.**

**As they jostled their way through a crowd of confused Hufflepuffs, Harry**

**suddenly grabbed Ron's arm.**

**"I've just thought - Hermione."**

**"What about her?"**

**"She doesn't know about the troll."**

**Ron bit his lip.**

**"Oh, all right," he snapped. "But Percy'd better not see us."**

**Ducking down, they joined the Hufflepuffs going the other way, slipped**

**down a deserted side corridor, and hurried off toward the girls'**

**bathroom. They had just turned the corner when they heard quick**

**footsteps behind them.**

**"Percy!" hissed Ron, pulling Harry behind a large stone griffin.**

**Peering around it, however, they saw not Percy but Snape. He crossed the**

**corridor and disappeared from view.**

**"What's he doing?" Harry whispered. "Why isn't he down in the dungeons**

**with the rest of the teachers?"**

**"Search me."**

"Sev, what are you up too?" Lilly said more to herself. Than the group. Severus wasn't sure if she was accusing him or worried about him. He didn't answer her question.

**Quietly as possible, they crept along the next corridor after Snape's**

**fading footsteps.**

**"He's heading for the third floor," Harry said, but Ron held up his**

**hand.**

**"Can you smell something?"**

**Harry sniffed and a foul stench reached his nostrils, a mixture of old**

**socks and the kind of public toilet no one seems to clean.**

**And then they heard it - a low grunting, and the shuffling footfalls of**

**gigantic feet. Ron pointed - at the end of a passage to the left,**

**something huge was moving toward them. They shrank into the shadows and**

**watched as it emerged into a patch of moonlight.**

**It was a horrible sight. Twelve feet tall, its skin was a dull, granite**

**gray, its great lumpy body like a boulder with its small bald head**

**perched on top like a coconut. It had short legs thick as tree trunks**

**with flat, horny feet. The smell coming from it was incredible. It was**

**holding a huge wooden club, which dragged along the floor because its**

**arms were so long.**

**The troll stopped next to a doorway and peered inside. It waggled its**

**long ears, making up its tiny mind, then slouched slowly into the room.**

**"The keys in the lock," Harry muttered. "We could lock it in."**

**"Good idea," said Ron nervously.**

**They edged toward the open door, mouths dry, praying the troll wasn't**

**about to come out of it. With one great leap, Harry managed to grab the**

**key, slam the door, and lock it.**

**'Yes!"**

**Flushed with their victory, they started to run back up the passage, but**

**as they reached the corner they heard something that made their hearts**

**stop - a high, petrified scream - and it was coming from the chamber**

**they'd just chained up.**

**"Oh, no," said Ron, pale as the Bloody Baron.**

" I was in there" Hermione muttered. Lilly quickly pulled Hermione into her arms.

"Shh, Shhh your okay... your safe" Lilly whispered to her.

**"It's the girls' bathroom!" Harry gasped.**

**"Hermione!" they said together.**

**It was the last thing they wanted to do, but what choice did they have?**

**Wheeling around, they sprinted back to the door and turned the key,**

**fumbling in their panic. Harry pulled the door open and they ran inside.**

**Hermione Granger was shrinking against the wall opposite, looking as if**

**she was about to faint. The troll was advancing on her, knocking the**

**sinks off the walls as it went.**

**"Confuse it!" Harry said desperately to Ron, and, seizing a tap, he**

**threw it as hard as he could against the wall.**

**The troll stopped a few feet from Hermione. It lumbered around, blinking**

**stupidly, to see what had made the noise. Its mean little eyes saw**

**Harry. It hesitated, then made for him instead, lifting its club as it**

**went.**

**"Oy, pea-brain!" yelled Ron from the other side of the chamber, and he**

**threw a metal pipe at it. The troll didn't even seem to notice the pipe**

**hitting its shoulder, but it heard the yell and paused again, turning**

**its ugly snout toward Ron instead, giving Harry time to run around it.**

**"Come on, run, run!" Harry yelled at Hermione, trying to pull her toward**

**the door, but she couldn't move, she was still flat against the wall,**

**her mouth open with terror.**

**The shouting and the echoes seemed to be driving the troll berserk. It**

**roared again and started toward Ron, who was nearest and had no way to**

**escape.**

**Harry then did something that was both very brave and very stupid: He**

**took a great running jump and managed to fasten his arms around the**

**troll's neck from behind. The troll couldn't feel Harry hanging there,**

**but even a troll will notice if you stick a long bit of wood up its**

**nose, and Harry's wand had still been in his hand when he'd jumped - it**

**had gone straight up one of the troll's nostrils.**

**Howling with pain, the troll twisted and flailed its club, with Harry**

**clinging on for dear life; any second, the troll was going to rip him** **off or catch him a terrible blow with the club.**

**Hermione had sunk to the floor in fright; Ron pulled out his own wand -**

**not knowing what he was going to do he heard himself cry the first spell**

**that came into his head: "Wingardium Leviosa!"**

**The club flew suddenly out of the troll's hand, rose high, high up into**

**the air, turned slowly over - and dropped, with a sickening crack, onto**

**its owner's head. The troll swayed on the spot and then fell flat on its**

**face, with a thud that made the whole room tremble.**

"At least I got the spell right, just when it was needed most" Ron grinned.

Hermione flew out of Lilly's arms, and hugged the boys tightly.

"Thank you, I don't know even want to think about what would have happened if you hadn't found me" she said a wide smile on her face.

"Why do I get the feeling, Halloween isn't going to be a good time of year for me any more"

Harry sighed under his breath.

**Harry got to his feet. He was shaking and out of breath. Ron was**

**standing there with his wand still raised, staring at what he had done.**

**It was Hermione who spoke first.**

**"Is it - dead?"**

**I don't think so," said Harry, I think it's just been knocked out."**

**He bent down and pulled his wand out of the troll's nose. It was covered**

**in what looked like lumpy gray glue.**

**"Urgh - troll boogers."**

**He wiped it on the troll's trousers.**

**A sudden slamming and loud footsteps made the three of them look up.**

**They hadn't realized what a racket they had been making, but of course,**

**someone downstairs must have heard the crashes and the troll's roars. A**

**moment later, Professor McGonagall had come bursting into the room,**

**closely followed by Snape, with Quirrell bringing up the rear. Quirrell**

**took one look at the troll, let out a faint whimper, and sat quickly**

**down on a toilet, clutching his heart.**

**Snape bent over the troll. Professor McGonagall was looking at Ron and**

**Harry. Harry had never seen her look so angry. Her lips were white.**

**Hopes of winning fifty points for Gryffindor faded quickly from Harry's**

**mind.**

**"What on earth were you thinking of?" said Professor McGonagall, with**

**cold fury in her voice. Harry looked at Ron, who was still standing with**

**his wand in the air. "You're lucky you weren't killed. Why aren't you in**

**your dormitory?"**

**Snape gave Harry a swift, piercing look. Harry looked at the floor. He**

**wished Ron would put his wand down.**

**Then a small voice came out of the shadows.**

**"Please, Professor McGonagall - they were looking for me."**

**"Miss Granger!"**

**Hermione had managed to get to her feet at last.**

**I went looking for the troll because I - I thought I could deal with it**

**on my own - you know, because I've read all about them."**

**Ron dropped his wand. Hermione Granger, telling a downright lie to a**

**teacher? "If they hadn't found me, I'd be dead now. Harry stuck his wand**

**up its nose and Ron knocked it out with its own club. They didn't have**

**time to come and fetch anyone. It was about to finish me off when they**

**arrived."**

**Harry and Ron tried to look as though this story wasn't new to them.**

**"Well - in that case..." said Professor McGonagall, staring at the**

**three of them, "Miss Granger, you foolish girl, how could you think of**

**tackling a mountain troll on your own?"**

**Hermione hung her head. Harry was speechless. Hermione was the last**

**person to do anything against the rules, and here she was, pretending**

**she had, to get them out of trouble. It was as if Snape had started**

**handing out sweets.**

**"Miss Granger, five points will be taken from Gryffindor for this," said**

**Professor McGonagall. "I'm very disappointed in you. If you're not hurt**

**at all, you'd better get off to Gryffindor tower. Students are finishing**

**the feast in their houses."**

**Hermione left.**

"I must say boys, I am both disappointed that you didn't do as you were told, but also very impressed" said Minerva, giving the boys a rare smile

**Professor McGonagall turned to Harry and Ron. **

**"Well, I still say you were lucky, but not many first years could have**

**taken on a full-grown mountain troll. You each win Gryffindor five**

**points. Professor Dumbledore will be informed of this. You may go."**

**They hurried out of the chamber and didn't speak at all until they had**

**climbed two floors up. It was a relief to be away from the smell of the**

**troll, quite apart from anything else.**

**"We should have gotten more than ten points," Ron grumbled.**

**"Five, you mean, once she's taken off Hermione's."**

**"Good of her to get us out of trouble like that," Ron admitted. "Mind**

**you, we did save her."**

**"She might not have needed saving if we hadn't locked the thing in with**

**her," Harry reminded him.**

**They had reached the portrait of the Fat Lady.**

**"Pig snout," they said and entered.**

**The common room was packed and noisy. Everyone was eating the food that**

**had been sent up. Hermione, however, stood alone by the door, waiting**

**for them. There was a very embarrassed pause. Then, none of them looking**

**at each other, they all said "Thanks," and hurried off to get plates.**

**But from that moment on, Hermione Granger became their friend. There are**

**some things you can't share without ending up liking each other, and**

**knocking out a twelve-foot mountain troll is one of them.**

"That is the chapter over"Amelia said.

"Sooooo that's the beginning of the golden trio" said Scorpius, understanding now.

James, nodded. The atmosphere in the room, was slowly lifting. The dark mood that surrounded the actions of the muggles wasn't weighing on their minds as much any more. Not since they had realised that Harry, Ron and Hermione, had a knack for finding trouble.


	15. Chapter 15

**Here Is the next chapter, I really hope you enjoy it. **

**Thank you for all the reviews, they have been wonderful.  
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**I must bring attention to one review, the author of the review brought it to my attention, that This story run's the risk of being removed  
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**from the site, for using the full text from J.K Rowling's work.  
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**As a result of this kind warning I have decided on a new layout for each chapter,  
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**this is the last chapter where the text from the book will been seen.  
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**Thank you for your understanding. I hope you continue to read and enjoy this story.  
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**Valfreya  
**

Chapter fifteen.

The few minutes after finishing the last chapter, were tense. Harry expected an explosion from his mother and father. How his parents were wrestling with their emotions. They varied between fear from the child safety, and pride at his action of saving the girl that had become his friend.

"Mum I am sorry, if I scared you, but I had to save Mione. " Harry said, he couldn't stand the silence any longer.

"Oh Harry, of course I was scared, you ran headlong into danger and didn't think about your own safety, when you should have spoke to a professor. And I would ground you, if I thought it would do you any good, but its clear it wont, you and Ron did a very brave thing. But Minerva is right, it was foolish to attempt the rescue yourself, you could have been killed" Lils said. Prongs was nodding in agreement with his wife

"Sorry Mrs Potter, I should have dragged Harry to a Professor, I knew it was stupid, but I was so worried and guilty about what I said to Hermione, I acted without thinking" Ron added.

Everyone broke off, to take a few minutes to gathers their nerves for the next chapter. Ron was currently getting a lecture from his mother and father. Bill and Charlie, were taking in hushed voices, about how they would do their best to make Ron feel better about his place in the family, after all out of all them the really believed that Ron was a true Gryffindor and he should be told that. All the kids from the future were, watching the family interact, with bemused smiles. They knew that in the future, things were good, but they weren't like this. This is what they were trying to save.

Fred and George were planning a number of pranks to play on the Muggles. Sirius overheard them and joined in. Draco and His mother went to talk to Lil's and Prongs

"Lilly, do you have a moment?" Narcissa asked. Lil's looked at the woman and nearly died of shock

"Of course Mrs Malfoy" Lil's replied, she wanted to make sure she was polite at least.

" I have been thinking about your situation through out this book, and it would seem that the muggles are unfit to raise a child. I may have an option for you that even the Minister couldn't argue with. It very old magic, and I believe it would work perfectly. How ever you would need my dear cousin Sirius to help, also myself and Andy. If you are willing to listen I would be happy to explain every after the chapter perhaps?" Narcissa explained.

"Of course, thank you Mrs Malfoy"

"Its Narcissa, or Cissa" The woman replied.

"Of course Narcissa, Lilly" Said holding out her hand to the older woman. The both shook hands and gave each other a small smile

"Lilly, James. Draco has something he would like to say to you both" Narcissa said, looking at her son.

"Mr & Mrs Potter, I want to say, I am very sorry for my behaviour in the book. I know it hasn't happened yet, but I do feel, I would act this way, if I hadn't been given this chance to change my ways, I do hope you can forgive me" Draco asked, he knew he was going to be a right pain, and his actions were going to be a disgrace to himself and his mother. Right no he couldn't care less about his father, it was his fault that he didn't have any real friends, and he was forced into this life.

"Draco, I understand, and as you have said it hasn't happened yet, as long as you learning something about yourself while you are here Lilly and I will have nothing to forgive you for. May I offer you a piece of advise?" Prongs asked

"Yes, sir" Draco nodded his head,

"everything that makes you who you are, comes from you. Not someone else, no one ever has the right to tell you, who you should be. You are in charge of your life and actions. Never left anyone tell you any different" Prongs said.

"I understand, Thank you sir" Draco said turning to look at his mother. "May I go sit with my friends mother" He asked, he felt the need to get away Narcissa nodded and he turned away

"Thank you James, that was very nice of you, and good advise" Narcissa said smiling.

"All right everyone gather round" Called Amelia

CHAPTER ELEVEN – QUIDDITCH. Amelia read.

The were collective whoops and cheers.

"I hope we hear about the game." Prongs said bouncing on his chair.

A few of the non Quidditch players shook their heads in amusement. Lilly was fretting. After hearing about Harry's encounter with the troll, it would seem he had no sense of self preservation at all. She could only imagine what could happen on a broom, hundreds of feet up.

"I hope we win" Harry said. Draco snorted

"Slytherin, are the best of all the houses, if you win it will be a miracle" He joked.

Harry, punched him the arm lightly. But laughed

"Harry, has Quidditch in his blood, he will be amazing" Hermione complemented. All eyes turned to her. Harry smiled. He was grateful someone had faith in him.

"Sure Mione, if you say so" Draco said laughing. He stopped abruptly when he saw the look on her face.

"What?!" she asked.

Draco looked confused, then though about what he said. Ah right Mione. Now it made sense

"Sorry, it just slipped out. Won't do it again, if it bothers you?" Draco questioned.

She though this over, it didn't bother her, it just surprised her.

"No Drake it's fine. I don't mind" she said, smiling a little.

**As they entered November, the weather turned very cold. The mountains**

**around the school became icy gray and the lake like chilled steel. Every**

**morning the ground was covered in frost. Hagrid could be seen from the**

**upstairs windows defrosting broomsticks on the Quidditch field, bundled**

**up in a long moleskin overcoat, rabbit fur gloves, and enormous**

**beaverskin boots.**

**The Quidditch season had begun. On Saturday, Harry would be playing in**

**his first match after weeks of training: Gryffindor versus Slytherin. If**

**Gryffindor won, they would move up into second place in the house**

**championship.**

**Hardly anyone had seen Harry play because Wood had decided that, as**

**their secret weapon, Harry should be kept, well, secret. But the news**

**that he was playing Seeker had leaked out somehow, and Harry didn't know**

**which was worse - people telling him he'd be brilliant or people**

**telling him they'd be running around underneath him holding a mattress.**

**It was really lucky that Harry now had Hermione as a friend. He didn't**

**know how he'd have gotten through all his homework without her, what**

**with all the last-minute Quidditch practice Wood was making them do. She**

**had also tent him Quidditch Through the Ages, which turned out to be a**

**very interesting read**.

"I can't believe you reading a book" Ron said astonished.

Hermione glared but held her tongue. Neville laughed

Harry looked puzzled, why wouldn't he read a book? It is about Quidditch, it makes sense that he would want to know more about the game.

**Harry learned that there were seven hundred ways of committing a**

**Quidditch foul and that all of them had happened during a World Cup**

**match in 1473; that Seekers were usually the smallest and fastest**

**players, and that most serious Quidditch accidents seemed to happen to**

**them; that although people rarely died playing Quidditch, referees had**

**been known to vanish and turn up months later in the Sahara Desert.**

**Hermione had become a bit more relaxed about breaking rules since Harry**

**and Ron had saved her from the mountain troll, and she was much nicer**

**for it. The day before Harry's first Quidditch match the three of them**

**were out in the freezing courtyard during break, and she had conjured**

**them up a bright blue fire that could be carried around in a jam jar.**

**They were standing with their backs to it, getting warm, when Snape**

**crossed the yard. Harry noticed at once that Snape was limping. Harry,**

**Ron, and Hermione moved closer together to block the fire from view;**

**they were sure it wouldn't be allowed. Unfortunately, something about**

**their guilty faces caught Snape's eye. He limped over. He hadn't seen**

**the fire, but he seemed to be looking for a reason to tell them off anyway. **

**"What's that you've got there, Potter?"**

**It was Quidditch Through the Ages. Harry showed him.**

**"Library books are not to be taken outside the school," said Snape.**

**"Give it to me. Five points from Gryffindor."**

**"He's just made that rule up," Harry muttered angrily as Snape limped**

**away. "Wonder what's wrong with his leg?"**

**"Dunno, but I hope it's really hurting him," said Ron bitterly.**

Snape glared at the boy, he wasn't sure why he was going after the stone either but he was sure it wasn't for any other purpose, than to protect it. But he could see why the boy would say that. He sighed quietly.

"Ronald Weasley, that is a horrible thing to say. You had better show ALL of you teachers respect. I brought you up better than that" Molly warned.

**The Gryffindor common room was very noisy that evening. Harry, Ron, and**

**Hermione sat together next to a window. Hermione was checking Harry and**

**Ron's Charms homework for them. She would never let them copy ("How will**

**you learn?"), but by asking her to read it through, they got the right**

**answers anyway.**

"Boy's, do your own homework Mione, deserves more respect than that. She is your friend" Lilly scolded both boy's lowered the heads. And muttered a sorry to Mione.

**Harry felt restless. He wanted Quidditch Through the Ages back, to take**

**his mind off his nerves about tomorrow. Why should he be afraid of**

**Snape? Getting up, he told Ron and Hermione he was going to ask Snape if**

**he could have it.**

**"Better you than me," they said together, but Harry had an idea that**

**Snape wouldn't refuse if there were other teachers listening.**

**He made his way down to the staffroom and knocked. There was no answer.**

**He knocked again. Nothing.**

**Perhaps Snape had left the book in there? It was worth a try. He pushed**

**the door ajar and peered inside - and a horrible scene met his eyes.**

**Snape and Filch were inside, alone. Snape was holding his robes above**

**his knees. One of his legs was bloody and mangled. Filch was handing**

**Snape bandages.**

**"Blasted thing," Snape was saying. "How are you supposed to keep your**

**eyes on all three heads at once?"**

**Harry tried to shut the door quietly, but –**

**"POTTER!"**

**Snape's face was twisted with fury as he dropped his robes quickly to**

**hide his leg. Harry gulped.**

**"I just wondered if I could have my book back."**

**"GET OUT! OUT!"**

"and that's is your influence right there Lil's" Prongs grinned.

" Yep, sure is" Padfoot agreed grinning

"Can we continue please" Lilly said, hiding her face.

**Harry left, before Snape could take any more points from Gryffindor. He**

**sprinted back upstairs.**

**"Did you get it?" Ron asked as Harry joined them. "What's the matter?"**

**In a low whisper, Harry told them what he'd seen.**

**"You know what this means?" he finished breathlessly. "He tried to get**

**past that three-headed dog at Halloween! That's where he was going when**

**we saw him - he's after whatever it's guarding! And Id bet my**

**broomstick he let that troll in, to make a diversion!"**

**Hermione's eyes were wide.**

**"No - he wouldn't, she said. "I know he's not very nice, but he**

**wouldn't try and steal something Dumbledore was keeping safe."**

"Thank you Miss Granger" Severus said grateful that someone was on his side.

**"Honestly, Hermione, you think all teachers are saints or something,"**

**snapped Ron. "I'm with Harry. I wouldn't put anything past Snape. But**

**what's he after? What's that dog guarding?"**

**Harry went to bed with his head buzzing with the same question. Neville**

**was snoring loudly, but Harry couldn't sleep. He tried to empty his mind**

**- he needed to sleep, he had to, he had his first Quidditch match in a**

**few hours - but the expression on Snape's face when Harry had seen his**

**leg wasn't easy to forget.**

**The next morning dawned very bright and cold. The Great Hall was full of**

**the delicious smell of fried sausages and the cheerful chatter of**

**everyone looking forward to a good Quidditch match.**

"Finally, WE get to hear how awesome my son is on a broom." Prongs beamed

Lilly whimpered, she was imagining all sorts of horrible things that could go wrong. Molly was in the same frame of mind. She was so worried about Harry. Padfoot and Mooney were on the edge of their seats, both wondering if anything would happen, Padfoot was hoping that Harry would win.

Minerva was waiting to see in the team would finally be able to win the cup this year, but wondering about the boys skill.

**"You've got to eat some breakfast."**

**"I don't want anything."**

**"Just a bit of toast," wheedled Hermione.**

**"I'm not hungry."**

**Harry felt terrible. In an hour's time he'd be walking onto the field.**

**"Harry, you need your strength," said Seamus Finnigan. "Seekers are**

**always the ones who get clobbered by the other team."**

**"Thanks, Seamus," said Harry, watching Seamus pile ketchup on his**

**sausages.**

**By eleven o'clock the whole school seemed to be out in the stands around**

**the Quidditch pitch. Many students had binoculars. The seats might be**

**raised high in the air, but it was still difficult to see what was going**

**on sometimes.**

**Ron and Hermione joined Neville, Seamus, and Dean the West Ham fan up in**

**the top row. As a surprise for Harry, they had painted a large banner on**

**one of the sheets Scabbers had ruined. It said Potter for President, and**

**Dean, who was good at drawing, had done a large Gryffindor lion**

**underneath. Then Hermione had performed a tricky little charm so that**

**the paint flashed different colors.**

**Meanwhile, in the locker room, Harry and the rest of the team were**

**changing into their scarlet Quidditch robes (Slytherin would be playing**

**in green).**

**Wood cleared his throat for silence.**

**"Okay, men," he said.**

**"And women," said Chaser Angelina Johnson.**

**"And women," Wood agreed. "This is it."**

**"The big one," said Fred Weasley.**

**"The one we've all been waiting for," said George.**

**"We know Oliver's speech by heart," Fred told Harry, "we were on the**

**team last year."**

**"Shut up, you two," said Wood. "This is the best team Gryffindor's had**

**in years. We're going to win. I know it."**

**He glared at them all as if to say, "Or else."**

**"Right. It's time. Good luck, all of you."**

**Harry followed Fred and George out of the locker room and, hoping his knees weren't going to give way, walked onto the field to loud cheers.**

**Madam Hooch was refereeing. She stood in the middle of the field waiting**

**for the two teams, her broom in her hand.**

**"Now, I want a nice fair game, all of you," she said, once they were all**

**gathered around her. Harry noticed that she seemed to be speaking**

**particularly to the Slytherin Captain, Marcus Flint, a sixth year. Harry**

**thought Flint looked as if he had some troll blood in him. Out of the**

**corner of his eye he saw the fluttering banner high above, flashing**

**Potter for President over the crowd. His heart skipped. He felt braver.**

"Thanks for the support guys, It looks like I really needed." Harry said to his friends. Each of them smiled in return.

**"Mount your brooms, please."**

**Harry clambered onto his Nimbus Two Thousand.**

**Madam Hooch gave a loud blast on her silver whistle.**

**Fifteen brooms rose up, high, high into the air. They were off. "And the**

**Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor - what**

**an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too -"**

Laughter filled the room. Fred and George had big smiles on their faces. Proud of their friend.

"I like this kid, he is brave, saying that next you Minerva" Padfoot said looking over to the professor, who had a small smile on her face too, she found the commentating very amusing

**"JORDAN!"**

**"Sorry, Professor."**

**The Weasley twins' friend, Lee Jordan, was doing the commentary for the**

**match, closely watched by Professor McGonagall.**

**"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet,**

**a good find of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve - back to**

**Johnson and - no, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin**

**Captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes - Flint flying**

**like an eagle up there - he's going to sc- no, stopped by an excellent**

**move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and the Gryffindors take the Quaffle -**

**that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint,**

**off up the field and - OUCH - that must have hurt, hit in the back of**

**the head by a Bludger - Quaffle taken by the Slytherins - that's**

**Adrian Pucey speeding off toward the goal posts, but he's blocked by a**

**second Bludger - sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell**

**which - nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Johnson back in**

**possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes - she's**

**really flying - dodges a speeding Bludger - the goal posts are ahead- come on, now, Angelina - Keeper Bletchley dives - misses -**

**GRYFFINDORS SCORE!"**

Every Gryffindor in the room cheered loudly, each of the Slytherins bowed their heads.

**Gryffindor cheers filled the cold air, with howls and moans from the**

**Slytherins.**

**"Budge up there, move along."**

**"Hagrid!"**

**Ron and Hermione squeezed together to give Hagrid enough space to join**

**them.**

**"Bin watchin' from me hut," said Hagrid, patting a large pair of**

**binoculars around his neck, "But it isn't the same as bein' in the**

**crowd. No sign of the Snitch yet, eh?"**

**"Nope," said Ron. "Harry hasn't had much to do yet."**

**"Kept outta trouble, though, that's somethin'," said Hagrid, raising his**

**binoculars and peering skyward at the speck that was Harry.**

**Way up above them, Harry was gliding over the game, squinting about for**

**some sign of the Snitch. This was part of his and Wood's game plan.**

**"Keep out of the way until you catch sight of the Snitch," Wood had**

**said. "We don't want you attacked before you have to be."**

**When Angelina had scored, Harry had done a couple of loop-the-loops to**

**let off his feelings. Now he was back to staring around for the Snitch.**

**Once he caught sight of a flash of gold, but it was just a reflection**

**from one of the Weasleys' wristwatches, and once a Bludger decided to**

**come pelting his way, more like a cannonball than anything, but Harry**

**dodged it and Fred Weasley came chasing after it.**

**"All right there, Harry?" he had time to yell, as he beat the Bludger**

**furiously toward Marcus Flint.**

**"Slytherin in possession," Lee Jordan was saying, "Chaser Pucey ducks**

**two Bludgers, two Weasleys, and Chaser Bell, and speeds toward the -**

**wait a moment - was that the Snitch?"**

**A murmur ran through the crowd as Adrian Pucey dropped the Quaffle, too busy looking over his shoulder at the flash of gold that had passed his**

**left ear.**

**Harry saw it. In a great rush of excitement he dived downward after the**

**streak of gold. Slytherin Seeker Terence Higgs had seen it, too. Neck**

**and neck they hurtled toward the Snitch -all the Chasers seemed to have**

**forgotten what they were supposed to be doing as they hung in midair to**

**watch.**

**Harry was faster than Higgs - he could see the little round ball, wings**

**fluttering, darting up ahead - - he put on an extra spurt of speed -**

**WHAM! **

**A roar of rage echoed from the Gryffindors below - Marcus Flint**

**had blocked Harry on purpose, and Harry's broom spun off course, Harry**

**holding on for dear life.**

**"Foul!" screamed the Gryffindors.**

**Madam Hooch spoke angrily to Flint and then ordered a free shot at the**

**goal posts for Gryffindor. But in all the confusion, of course, the**

**Golden Snitch had disappeared from sight again.**

**Down in the stands, Dean Thomas was yelling, "Send him off, ref! Red**

**card!"**

**"What are you talking about, Dean?" said Ron.**

**"Red card!" said Dean furiously. "In soccer you get shown the red card**

**and you're out of the game!"**

**"But this isn't soccer, Dean," Ron reminded him.**

**Hagrid, however, was on Dean's side.**

**"They oughta change the rules. Flint coulda knocked Harry outta the**

**air."**

**Lee Jordan was finding it difficult not to take sides.**

**"So - after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating**

**"Jordan!" growled Professor McGonagall.**

**"I mean, after that open and revolting foul**

**'Jordan, I'm warning you -"**

**"All right, all right. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which**

**could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by**

**Spinner, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue play, Gryffindor**

**still in possession."**

" Oh that boy" Grumbled Minerva. Dumbledore, was smiling happily.

"Minnie, You have to give him credit, he is a brave one, to try that next you, and you liked it really didn't you?" Sirius asked fighting the smirk and laughter.

Minerva said nothing, instead she just laughed and nodded. Her laughed was echoed round the room.

**It was as Harry dodged another Bludger, which went spinning dangerously**

**past his head, that it happened. His broom gave a sudden, frightening**

**lurch. For a split second, he thought he was going to fall. He gripped**

**the broom tightly with both his hands and knees. He'd never felt**

**anything like that.**

**It happened again. It was as though the broom was trying to buck him**

**off. But Nimbus Two Thousands did not suddenly decide to buck their**

**riders off. Harry tried to turn back toward the Gryffindor goal- posts**

**- he had half a mind to ask Wood to call time-out - and then he**

**realized that his broom was completely out of his control. He couldn't**

**turn it. He couldn't direct it at all. It was zigzagging through the**

**air, and every now and then making violent swishing movements that**

**almost unseated him.**

**Lee was still commentating.**

**"Slytherin in possession - Flint with the Quaffle - passes Spinnet -**

**passes Bell - hit hard in the face by a Bludger, hope it broke his nose**

**- only joking, Professor - Slytherins score - A no...**

**The Slytherins were cheering. No one seemed to have noticed that Harry's**

**broom was behaving strangely. It was carrying- him slowly higher, away**

**from the game, jerking and twitching as it went.**

**"Dunno what Harry thinks he's doing," Hagrid mumbled. He stared through**

**his binoculars. "If I didn' know better, I'd say he'd lost control of**

**his broom... but he can't have..."**

**Suddenly, people were pointing up at Harry all over the stands. His**

**broom had started to roll over and over, with him only just managing to**

**hold on. Then the whole crowd gasped. Harry's broom had given a wild**

**jerk and Harry swung off it. He was now dangling from it, holding on**

**with only one hand.**

All the girls in the room gave a small gasp, and hugged closer to person closest to them, Hermione was pulled into a hug, by , Draco, Ron and Harry took her hand, the all tried to reassure her.

Prongs held lilly close to him, Minerva was comforted by Dumbledore, Narcissa, who had never moved back to her husband, received a hand from Remus, and a hug from Sirius. Andromeda, Got a calming hand from Severus. Neville had Luna leaning on his shoulder, and he rubbed her back trying to soothe her.

Teddy, Scorp, James All gave Lilly-Luna a hug, while Hugo, got to his sister. Al got up from his chair and went over to his gran-mother

"Its all right Gran, he will be fine, do you want me to read the rest?" He asked quietly.

"Thank you dear, I can manage, but stay close" she Whispered. Al settled him self down next to her.

**"Did something happen to it when Flint blocked him?" Seamus whispered.**

**"Can't have," Hagrid said, his voice shaking. "Can't nothing interfere**

**with a broomstick except powerful Dark magic - no kid could do that to**

**a Nimbus Two Thousand."**

**At these words, Hermione seized Hagrid's binoculars, but instead of**

**looking up at Harry, she started looking frantically at the crowd.**

**"What are you doing?" moaned Ron, gray-faced.**

**"I knew it," Hermione gasped, "Snape - look."**

**Ron grabbed the binoculars. Snape was in the middle of the stands**

**opposite them. He had his eyes fixed on Harry and was muttering nonstop**

**under his breath.**

**"He's doing something - jinxing the broom," said Hermione.**

**"What should we do?"**

**"Leave it to me."**

"Sev, I hope for your sake, you are trying to save my son, If not well you will see" Lil's said leaving the threat unfinished, gave Severus plenty to think about. He really did hope he was trying to save Harry.

"What is our little genius going to do?" Sirius asked, Mione blushed bright red, and Hid her face into Draco's shoulder, while the other two boys muffled their giggles.

**Before Ron could say another word, Hermione had disappeared. Ron turned**

**the binoculars back on Harry. His broom was vibrating so hard, it was**

**almost impossible for him to hang on much longer. The whole crowd was on**

**its feet, watching, terrified, as the Weasleys flew up to try and pull**

**Harry safely onto one of their brooms, but it was no good - every time**

**they got near him, the broom would jump higher still. They dropped lower**

**and circled beneath him, obviously hoping to catch him if he fell.**

" Thank you boys" Sighed Lilly, Fred and George smiled faintly.

**Marcus Flint seized the Quaffle and scored five times without anyone noticing.**

**"Come on, Hermione," Ron muttered desperately.**

**Hermione had fought her way across to the stand where Snape stood, and**

**was now racing along the row behind him; she didn't even stop to say**

**sorry as she knocked Professor Quirrell head first into the row in front.**

**Reaching Snape, she crouched down, pulled out her wand, and whispered a**

**few, well- chosen words. Bright blue flames shot from her wand onto the**

**hem of Snape's robes.**

There was a beat of silence, before everyone started laughing

" Good job Mione" called Ron

"Excellent" said the twins

"Way to go Mione" called Sirius

"Miss Granger, really" scolded Minerva

Hermione wanted to disappear, she hated being the centre of attention, and she certainly didn't want to be know, she attacked a teacher

"Miss Granger, I am very impressed with you charm work and fierce loyalty to your friend. I really do hope do not find out about this in the book" Snape muttered the last few words.

**It took perhaps thirty seconds for Snape to realize that he was on fire.**

**A sudden yelp told her she had done her job. Scooping the fire off him**

**into a little jar in her pocket, she scrambled back along the row -**

**Snape would never know what had happened.**

**It was enough. Up in the air, Harry was suddenly able to clamber back on**

**to his broom.**

**"Neville, you can look!" Ron said. Neville had been sobbing into**

**Hagrid's jacket for the last five minutes.**

**Harry was speeding toward the ground when the crowd saw him clap his**

**hand to his mouth as though he was about to be sick - he hit the field**

**on all fours - coughed - and something gold fell into his hand.**

**"I've got the Snitch!" he shouted, waving it above his head, and the**

**game ended in complete confusion.**

**"He didn't catch it, he nearly swallowed it," Flint was still howling**

**twenty minutes later, but it made no difference - Harry hadn't broken**

**any rules and Lee Jordan was still happily shouting the results -**

**Gryffindor had won by one hundred and seventy points to sixty. Harry**

**heard none of this, though. He was being made a cup of strong tea back**

**in Hagrid's hut, with Ron and Hermione.**

" MY SON IS AWSOME" shouted prongs he was high-fiving Remus and Sirius.

" Very well done Mr Potter. Fine addition to the team" Complemented Minerva

Meanwhile the twin's were dancing on the sofa they had been sitting on, cheering "Lions win"

No one seemed to be able to get them to sit down. Most of the room couldn't help laugh along with them, While Molly was doing everything she could think of to get her sons to sit back down and stop acting like their were raised by wild animals.

After a 25 minute break, the twins now secured to the chair, and every one was over the excitement

Amelia continued

**"It was Snape," Ron was explaining, "Hermione and I saw him. He was**

c**ursing your broomstick, muttering, he wouldn't take his eyes off you."**

**"Rubbish," said Hagrid, who hadn't heard a word of what had gone on next**

**to him in the stands. "Why would Snape do somethin' like that?"**

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at one another, wondering what to tell**

**him. Harry decided on the truth.**

**"I found out something about him," he told Hagrid. "He tried to get past**

**that three-headed dog on Halloween. It bit him. We think he was trying**

**to steal whatever it's guarding."**

**Hagrid dropped the teapot.**

**"How do you know about Fluffy?" he said.**

**"Fluffy?"**

**"Yeah - he's mine - bought him off a Greek chappie I met in the pub**

**las' year - I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the**

**"Yes?" said Harry eagerly.**

**"Now, don't ask me anymore," said Hagrid gruffly. "That's top secret,**

**that is."**

**"But Snape's trying to steal it."**

**"Rubbish," said Hagrid again. "Snape's a Hogwarts teacher, he'd do**

**nothin' of the sort."**

**"So why did he just try and kill Harry?" cried Hermione.**

**The afternoon's events certainly seemed to have changed her mind about**

**Snape.**

**I know a jinx when I see one, Hagrid, I've read all about them!**

**You've got to keep eye contact, and Snape wasn't blinking at all, I saw**

**him!"**

**"I'm tellin' yeh, yer wrong!" said Hagrid hotly. "I don' know why**

**Harry's broom acted like that, but Snape wouldn' try an' kill a student!**

**Now, listen to me, all three of yeh - yer meddlin' in things that don'**

**concern yeh. It's dangerous. You forget that dog, an' you forget what**

**it's guardin', that's between Professor Dumbledore an' Nicolas Flamel**

**-"**

**"Aha!" said Harry, "so there's someone called Nicolas Flamel involved,**

**is there?"**

**Hagrid looked furious with himself.**

"That ends this chapter, shall we have a little party for Gryffindor?" Asked Amelia and smile on her face

**As I said at the beginning of the chapter, this story will have a new layout from now on, We will still follow our characters reactions to each chapter, and will still be able to hear their comments, the only difference will be the entire text will not be present. I will draw attention to the part I believe make the story. I love reading this style of story, however I find myself skipping through the Rowling's work, to get to the story around it. I really hope this doesn't take away from the over all effect of the story, But I feel this is a necessary change. **

**Thank your for all you support, and reviews ( they are always welcome) **

**Valfreya81 **


	16. Chapter 16

**From this point on, the new layout will come into effect. **

**please feel free to get in touch, leave a review. with any comments or suggestions.  
**

**Hope you enjoy this one  
**

Chapter sixteen

The party for Gryffindors win, was a very enjoyable affair. The kids ate and laughed with each other, wishing they could have seen the match in person. Draco was comparing skills with Harry, and Ron. Hermione was talking to Neville and Luna. The adults in the room along with the children from the future, Were discussing the book so far. Lucius decided he wanted to get to know his grandson and his girlfriend.

" Scorpius, a word son" Lucius called. The tall blonde haired boy got up from his seat and walked over to his grandfather.

" I want to talk to you about our family, and your relationship with the potter girl. " His tone clear of all emotion. Scorpius rolled his eyes, and took the seat across from his grandfather.

" Grandfather, there is nothing you can say that will change my mind about Lilly-Luna, She will be a Malfoy and there is nothing you can do about it. Father has already agreed, and encouraged the relationship, With Mr potters consent. So please save your breath." The boy said

Lucius was boiling with emotions, the girl was little more than a half blood. She would taint the family lines that had worked so hard to protect. It was bad enough that Narcissa's, Sister was disowned. But to have his grandchild marry a half blood was unthinkable.

"Scorpius, the Malfoy line is an old one, and has certain behaviour expected of it. As an heir to the line you have to uphold the ideas and traditions of the family. That means marry a pure blood. You cannot taint our family heritage, for that girl. However if you are not to be persuaded, I will meet the girl now" Lucius said. He hoped that if he could put the girl off, he could save his families name. Besides the name Malfoy still carries some weight, he could try and push through a new legislation, that would mean all pure-bloods would have to marry and another suitable pure-blood.

Scorpius called Lilly-Luna over to meet his grandfather, all the while planning for every possible outcome of the meeting. Lilly-Luna, had a feeling that should would have to come face to face with Scrop's grandfather, and had prepared. She knew the Malfoy family history as well as any Malfoy, and of course she knew of pure-blood traditions, after all her mother was a pure-blood.

She lifted her head, and walked to stand in front of Scorp's grandfather, and gazed over him. Before dropping into a courtesy and holding out her hand.

"Lord Malfoy, It is an honour to meet you, My name is Lilly-Luna Potter sir" She would have smirked at the look on the elder Malfoy's face.

Lucius, took the girls hand, gently kissed her knuckles and replied.

"Miss Potter, It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance" He said slowly, looking at the girl more closely, Her red hair wasn't too bright, Her bright green eyes, were shinning like emeralds. Her posture was good, Her manners were excellent. Over all She was pretty enough to join his family, Now he had to get to grips with her character, and her intelligence. He pointed to a chair, Lilly slipped in gracefully, and sat like a proper lady. She seemed to be holding her own, and most importantly she hadn't broke protocol call.

"Well, Miss Potter, tell me What subjects did you take at Hogwarts, and what were your grades" Lucius asked, Like he was interviewing and employee, rather than a wife for his grandson. Lilly then proceeded to tell Lucius all about her grades ( second top of her year), about her family life and her relationship with Scorpius.

From across the room Narcissa watched the youngest potter child, charm Lucius with ease, She smiled. It was about time he met his match.

"Lilly, James Do you have a few moments? Siri you better come too" Narcissa called to the group They moved away from the larger group. And pulled up chairs near the window.

" As I said before, they may be a way for Harry, not to have to stay with the Muggles, It would mean tying him to a Wizard family. Its a long complicated ritual, It can be dangerous. It would mean finding a compatible Pure-blood family, and linking his blood and magic to that family. It was used centuries ago, To ensure a betrothal between two families. But it was never intended for that use, It was used from when the last of an ancient and noble family was too young to take headship of the family line, It was given to another family, until the child became of age, and could reclaim it, Of course some old dark families would disown the child before they could reclaim their title from them, and would leave them with nothing. However I believe you could use this to safe guard your son, Only the head of a family can bond with the child, and If the head of the family is smart, the can include every member of their family in the bond, so no harm can come to their charge.

I suggest, that if you decide to go through with this, That Sirius, as head of the Black family, Bond with Harry, and use the clause to include every member of the family. That way Bellatrix, Andromeda and Myself can never harm Harry. Not that Andromeda or Myself would. But Bella, Well she is insane of course. The protection would to an extent apply to Lucius as well. No one can break the bond, and it ends when Harry reaches 17. but it would also mean that the Potter and Black family would be bound, as allies even once the vow has reached it time limit. And Until Harry is of age Sirius would be the head of the Potter line and act of behalf of Harry, He would also be Harry's legal guardian."

Narcissa knew she had given the little family something to think about. But she really didn't want Harry to go through all that suffering at the hands of people incapable of looking after a child, She also knew she could force Lucius' hand if she was included in the bond. She was hoping she could pull him away from the dark arts, and use the Malfoy name for good. It would also mean that Draco could keep his new friends. As much as she didn't want to be married to Lucius, she could still try and use him for her purposes, Just as he had done, when he asked her father for her hand. Narcissa promised herself on the day of her marriage to Lucius she would get revenge, and now she could, she had decided to make the best of the situation at hand. Now all she had to do was convince Lucius to allow her to return to her job as a curse breaker, and her life would be almost perfect.

Meanwhile Lilly-Luna was still holding her own against Lucius

"Well Lord Malfoy, I believe that everyone is entitled to a second chance to prove their worth to the wizarding world, and I know there are many ways to achieve those goals, Since the end of the second war, and believe me the war is coming. The Malfoy's have had a hand in recreating a safe haven for wizards, but supporting change within the ministry itself. My father, Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione along with Scorpius' father have been at the centre of every change to the law that has been made. Mr Malfoy has personally addressed the issue of muggle-born sponsorship program. When the book of magic records the birth of a magic child is documented Mr Malfoy's department, contact a wizarding family, and they then introduce the child to the wizarding world and help the child and parent adjust, as well as have responsibility for that child within the wizarding world. It is quiet an achievement Lord Malfoy, and I have personally seen the results of the program, It has prevents many disagreements and give more respect to the families involved. Aunt Hermione and Mr Malfoy, came up with the idea. It has been welcomed by everyone. " Lilly explained.

Lucius has spent the best part of ten minutes talking to this young lady, and had to admit to himself, she was a very special girl. And more than suitable for the Malfoy line. He was more than pleased with his heir, and the honour and respect he had brought to the family. He had a lot to think about.

Draco was now sitting with Neville. The round faced child was still very shy even with his new friends, he had hoped he would have at least one new friend, now he had five. It was more than he dreamed of. But he still doubted if he would bring anything to the group. Luna as unusual as she was, brought a new way of looking at things and a brutal honesty, that everyone needed. Hermione brought a fierce intellect and deep compassion, Harry brought unwavering bravery, Ron brought humour, and sense of loyalty, and Draco brought cunning, and ambition to the group of friends, meanwhile Neville was wondering what he could contribute, apart from a knowledge of plants. He wasn't, brave or overly smart. He was just Neville.

"Nev, What's wrong?" Asked Harry. He had noticed the far away look in Neville eye.

"Just thinking, you know. I don't bring anything to the group Harry, I don't deserve to be here with you, I don't think I will be a good friend. I can't do anything right" He confided. His friends all looked at each other. Then all moved at the same time. Ron and Draco grabbed Neville, and pulled him to his feet, Hermione and Luna, moved to the door, and Harry called over his shoulder to his parents.

"Mum, we are going out side for a little while. 'kay?" He shouted already at the door

"All right dear, not too long" she called. A thought struck Harry, as he made his way into the garden, were his friends were waiting for him. This action had felt exactly what he had imagined his life would have been like if his parent had lived to raise him. He smiled.

His friends had sat Neville down in front of the pond. And were chatting to him. Unaware that the adults had gathered round the window and cast a listening charm over the group.

"Neville, What do you mean you bring nothing to the group?" Hermione asked. She knew what it felt like to be left out, and wanted to know how she could help Neville.

"Well, you and Draco are both really smart, your are really nice and think about everyone's feeling, and Draco is really cunning, Luna may be a little different, but she helps us all see thing from a different point of view, and Well Harry is really Brave, Ron is really Funny and knows how to cheer everyone up. But me, I don't do anything. You all look out for each other and help each other. But I can't do anything to help" He was sobbing a little during his speech. Luna and Hermione gave the boy a hug.

"Neville, what would you do if Voldermort showed up right now? " Asked Draco, stuttering a bit over the name.

Neville looked at Draco. And gulped

"I would try and help fight him, or I would run and get the adults" he chocked out.

"See, you do help, you make sure we are all safe and taken care of. And your a loyal friend, Brave too. Not many 10 year old's would stand against Voldermort Neville." Added Harry, Picking up where his friend left off. Neville looked like he was going to protest.

"You know Neville, If you had more faith in yourself, I bet you could do anything" Ron said

Neville mumbled something, then looked at each face of his friends.

"Can I tell you guys a secret? Promise you won't tell anyone?" He asked his voice barely audible

Each of his friends nodded. And muttered a yes, or of course.

"I live with my Gran, She said I'm a bit of a disaster. And that I'm nothing like my parents. They were both Auror's. But the got capture and tortured by Bellatrix Lestrange. My Gran takes me to see them at St. Mungos. She told me they were really brave. She said I should try and be more like them, So I don't disappoint them" He finished with a hiccup.

Harry, looked stunned, Draco looked like he had ate a lemon Ron looked at his feet. Luna and Hermione had tears on their eyes, and both leaned in closer to Neville offering comfort.

"Well Nev, You have us now. And we will all help you, that's what friends do" Harry said.

The group sat for a another ten minutes of so, trying to boost Neville self confidence, telling jokes and making plans for school.

Before long everyone had taken their seats, Waiting for Amelia to read the next chapter. However it was Albus that got up and spoke.

" Hi all, Look we have a little problem here, and I was hoping for some magical assistance from a few of you. This adventure took a massive amount of magic from my family and Scorp, and well we have been here for nearly two days, for every day we stay here our magic depletes a little. And we have another 6 books to through after this one. So we have come up with a spell that will allow each chapter to be 'downloaded' into your mind, as grandma Li reads it. But since my family and Scorp are maintaining the magic around the cottage we need some of you to help cast this spell" Albus explained, He took in the looks of astonishment from the gather group

Lilly-Luna, added " The more people the better, combining magic makes it stronger, it would be good in at least three people could do it. Take some time and talk amongst yourselves and let us know when you are ready" She finished and went to sit with her brothers.

The group sat there taking in what the future kids had said and began muttering

Harry, Ron Hermione, Draco Neville and Luna were so impressed with the amount of magic that had been created to allow this amazing meeting. They really wanted to help. But they didn't have wands or even know that much magic at all. Sure Neville, Draco and Luna knew little considering they were from ancient pure-blood families, and Ron knew a little about magic but had never performed any on purpose.

Another few people were considering what the kids had told them, Of course the professors could have pulled the spell of with ease, however Narcissa, Andromeda, Lilly, James Mooney and Padfoot could have done it too. But it was the golden trio and friends that jumped to their feet and offered first.

The stood together straight backs and heads held high. Harry who was, silently nominated the leader of the group spoke

" We want to help, We know we are younger than everyone else in the room, and we don't have wands yet, but can we do it?" He asked carefully, his voice was strong. James got to his feet and walked over to his father.

"Sure you can dad, but I will admit, Scrop is the one with the knowledge in this so He will have to walk you through it. And you will need to borrow wands, and we need to make sure they are the best fit for you. Something an old friend of Aunt Luna's said, The wand need to recognise you. So lets find you some wands shall we" he said with a smile.

All the adults in the room allows the kids to try their wands, it was a strange experience, each and every wand has a perfect match, the wand itself becomes part of you. And to allow another to use it, you must share some of the qualities that the wand looks for in a host. Dumbledore explained this while the kids tested out the wands offered. In the end Harry ended up with Severus's, Hermione ended up with Lilly's, Ron had Bill's Draco, had his aunt Andromeda's, Luna had Sirius wand and Neville ended up with Dumbledore's. Dumbledore smiled at this, knowing that he had the elder wand, and it was a very powerful wand indeed he was pleased it choose Neville he felt the boys magical aura was very powerful, but had never really been tapped in to, he believed this would allow the boy to see his full potential and work hard to achieve it.

Finally the kids were arranged into a loose circle, and told to face inwards and hold the wands out in front of them, so the barely touched. Scrop came over and told them how to say the incantation, and how to focus the will and intent into the magic, and how it would feel to combine their magic with each other.

" It will feel like a living force, gently flowing, and humming in your mind and bodies, it will ebb and flow with you each demand of it, it can be very overwhelming, but as the power builds it will being with it a sense if understanding and peace, The magic will want to bend to your will, that will be it only purpose, so it is extremely important that you keep you mind on what you want to achieve, you are going to be tapping directly into you magical core, and unleashing its full power, as you know most peoples core grow and develop with the person, allowing the right amount of magic to be released, this is based on your will, you focus and you age as well as your magical level, for example, Harry was able to produce a patronus at the age of thirteen because he need to protect him self and his magic wanted to save him, so it gave him exactly what he needed at the time. Magic is a living thing, and it greatest wish it to live in harmony with it human, they feed off each other. So Keep your mind clear, keep your intent and focus on the goal you are aiming for and when you are all ready say the incantation OK?"

The kids took their time and tried a few breathing exercises Severus had shown them and began the spell, Each one of them saw beginning to feel a tingle of magic flow in the blood, a light haze began swirling and building around them,each haze of light that came of them was a different colour that match their aura, Red mist came from Ron, pale purple from Hermione, a vibrant yellow from Luna, from Neville came a lush green, from Draco came a brilliant silver and from Harry a startling gold. The mists began coming together and mixing to make many different shades and colours. To the onlooking crowd it was a magical light show that had never been seen and wouldn't easily be forgotten, The level of magic that was being created was incredible, and quiet unbelievable. Each face held a look of concentration, after a few long minutes, the kids faces held an expression of peace, at some invisible cue the children began the incantation, the light began larger and more colourful, gaining for density and power, the crowd felt the magic lightly kiss the skin leaving it feeling warm. Slowly the six began to pull the light into their bodies. But the end of the spell, the kids were exhausted, drained but overjoyed at what they had done, None more so than Neville.

The kids sat slumped against each other eyes closed and smiling. The spell worked.


End file.
